Triplets
by HopeWrites
Summary: George Weasley x Audrey Tyler (OC). Audrey Tyler is a sweet prankster who hits it off with the twins almost immediately and is integrated into their friend group, navigating her way through her first year and emotional drama with their help. This is the first of a seven-eight story series. This is a real slow burn but completely worth it. :) Completed!
1. Chapter 1

The day I got my letter, my world turned upside down. Up until that point, I was just a normal girl with a small group of friends, but not a whole lot else. You see, I'm a Half-Blood, raised by my Muggle father after my mother was killed by Lord Voldemort himself. Up until receiving my letter, I knew nothing of wizardry or this mysterious school called Hogwarts. I was just a girl. Mind you, I was a girl around whom many strange things seemed to happen. Now I understand why the seemingly "random" tornado that destroyed Pete's General Store when I was five chose to strike at the precise moment I was having quite the prodigious temper tantrum.

When I got my letter, though, my father didn't quite know how to handle it. Robert Tyler, a kind and gentle man with thinning brown hair and small wire glasses, had been hopeful I wouldn't turn out to be a witch at all. I'm all my dad has, and he was sure he couldn't handle me going away to boarding school. Yet, he knew what had to be done, and, so, he sent me away to some old wizarding connections of my mother's.

The Weasleys. A large family of red-heads crammed into a small, ramshackle home they called The Burrow. Little did I know, that ramshackle building would soon become one of the greatest homes I would ever know.

* * *

Nervously, I step out of my dad's beaten-up jeep and into the bright sunlight, allowing Dad to help me get my suitcase out of the trunk. After the receival of my letter, Dad and I moved out here to England from the US, so that Dad could be closer to the school. My father's a freelance writer, anyway, so it didn't bother him at all to move. He's just going to miss me.

That's when a plump woman wearing wrist-length gardening gloves and a grass-stained mauve apron comes bouncing out of the shack.

"You must be Audrey! Lorelai's daughter!" she coos in greeting, pulling me into a dirty, flowery smelling hug.

"Oh, excuse me, dear!" she chuckles, brushing the dirt from my shirt, only causing more dirt from her gloves to collect on my top. So, she pulls out a thick branch I can only assume is a wand, and she flicks it, making the dirt disappear.

"Thanks," I blush. I've always been a bit shy, and this woman is just so friendly! I can tell she's a nice lady, though, and I'm sure I'll like her a lot once I've warmed up to her a bit.

"How rude," the woman shoots a scowl towards her house before jogging towards it and hollering in through the windows.

"Boys! Ginny! Get down here and say hello to our guest!" she yells.

"No, it's alright, Mrs. Weasley. I'm sure I'll meet them all eventually," I try to stop her making such a fuss over me.

"Don't be silly, dear. You came at the perfect time. Bill and Charlie are rarely in town, so it's quite a rare thing for us to have everyone in the house."

There's no need to continue the conversation further, though, as a red-head about my age and a young girl just a year or two younger than me come scampering out the door. Behind them swagger out three older boys, all with red hair as well. Then, an older man with thinning hair who looks at my father's jeep curiously.

"Is this everyone?" I ask, shocked by what a large family they have.

"No," Mrs. Weasley pouts.

"FRED! GEORGE!" she hollers through the window, clearly about ready to come inside and drag them out herself.

"Yes, Mum!"  
"Coming, Mum!"

I hear loud footsteps running down the stairs.

Two identical boys join the group, short red hair in disarray.

"Alright, Audrey. Time for you to meet the family. I'm Molly, and this is my husband, Arthur," she introduces me, gesturing to first herself and then the curious middle-aged man.

"Nice to meet you, Arthur," I extend my hand to him. He takes it quickly and shakes it.

"You'll have to tell me all about the Muggle world while you're here, Audrey," he informs me.

"Of course, sir. Whatever you want to know."

At that point, though, Arthur moves to bombard my father with questions about his jeep.  
"This is Ginevra. She's our only daughter and our youngest child," she introduces me as Arthur scoops the little girl into his arms.

"Nice to meet you, Ginevra. What a pretty name you have," I tell her, waving to the young child.

"It's Ginny. My name is Ginny."  
"Well, than nice to meet you, Ginny."

"This is Ronald. He's your age, and he will be attending Hogwarts with you," Molly informs me.

"Hey," the boy mutters, shy, from behind his mother.

"Hey," I reply, equally shy.

"This is Bill. He's my oldest," Molly gestures to the tallest red head.

"Hi, Bill. It's nice to meet you," I tell the tall man.

"And you."  
"This is Charlie. He works with dragons a long ways away most of the time, so he's not around a lot. Not that Bill's much better," she scowls at the two boys.

"Hello, Charlie," I shake the hand he extends toward me.

"Percy. He's a Prefect," Molly introduces me to the tall older boy, beaming with pride. The identical boys scoff.

"And these are the twins, Fred and George."  
I observe the two tall, lanky boys for a moment before replying.

"It's a pleasure."

"Oh, the pleasure's all ours," the boys reply, winking in unison.


	2. Chapter 2

All of us crowded around the table at breakfast, I don't even know how to cope. It's rare for me to eat meals with one other person, let alone nine. I try to be as quiet as possible and blend in. Unfortunately, in the Weasley family, being quiet makes you stand out. Molly notices quickly.

"How'd you sleep last night, Audrey?" she asks, talking loudly over everyone else.

I can't reply, though, because it is at that moment that Percy takes a pancake from Ron's plate, and the two of them get into a bit of a quarrel.

"Quiet!" shouts Molly at the top of her lungs. This appears to be plenty effective.

"I slept fine, thank you," I tell her.

"Ginny didn't keep you up all night?" she asks, referring to the fact that I'm sharing a room with the young girl.

"No, of course not. She's a good roommate," I smile softly at the girl, who blushes and hides behind her red hair.

"Ha! You think that now. Mum made her clean up her room before you came over. This one's a little pig," Fred laughs. His brother makes pig noises to accompany his twin's statement. Molly hushes them, but I just laugh.

"That's alright. I'm not so organized myself," I wink at her. She looks a bit less shy now, enjoying the fact that we're sharing in the pig-status.

"So, Audrey, what exactly is the use of an MP3 player?" Arthur asks curiously, looking up from his large stack of pancakes for the first time this morning. I grin. Finally, a subject I enjoy.

"How about I show you? May I be excused for a moment to go get my MP3, Molly?" I ask politely.

"Of course, Dear," she smiles at me brightly, clearly unaccustomed to good manners in the household.

I push out my chair and run up the stairs to Ginny and I's shared room, grabbing my MP3 from on top of my bed. Then, I jog back down, happy to present it to them.

"This, Arthur, is an MP3," I smile, holding my MP3 player out in front of me.

Arthur oohs curiously, putting on a set of wire spectacles so as to take a closer look.

"Fascinating. What is the function?" he asks.

"The MP3 is used to listen to music. All kinds of muggle bands that you've probably never even heard of," I tell them excitedly.

"Eminem, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, Sublime, Wheezer, the Beatles. I could list bands and singers for hours. Endless music, as much as you want. It's the best thing in the world and it's all on here," I point at the MP3.

The table is quiet as everyone absorbs what I've said and strains to look at the MP3.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" asks George.

"Play us a song!" choruses Fred.

"Alright, alright," I chuckle softly, wondering what would be best.

That's when I think of it. Quickly, I pull up my Beatles playlist, figuring that, because we're in England, that would probably be best. Maybe my stereotypes are a bit unfair, but I can't help it. None of my other music seems fitting. I scroll until I find the perfect song: "Magical Mystery Tour". I mean, it has the word "magic" in it. It's not my favorite Beatles song, but I want to ease them into the world of Muggle music, not drown them in it. Imagine if I started them with Eminem or Metallica! I press play, and everyone leans in. They all struggle to see the MP3 emitting the music, listening avidly.

When it's over, Arthur coughs.

"May I?" he asks, holding out his hand for the device.

I nod and place it in his hand.

"Be careful with it. It can break," I warn him. He nods and turns it over in his hands, looking at the buttons, headphone jack, and charging port. After several moments of this, Molly stands and begins clearing the table. Hearing the dishes clattering, Arthur jumps, lost in his own world.

"Fascinating. Simply fascinating," he murmurs, handing the MP3 back to me. Then, he goes to help his wife clear the dishes.

I shove the MP3 in my pocket and grab a handful of dishes, wanting to help out.

"Oh no, dear. Don't do that! You're our guest. Go play outside with the boys or something. Ginny, you know we're leaving to go shoe shopping as soon as I'm done here. Go get ready," she says, taking the plates from my hands, before turning her back on me.

The three youngest boys exchange looks.

"Fred, George, Ron! Take our guest outside and find something to do," Molly orders them.

Sulking, the three boys head outside. I follow them sheepishly.

"So, um-," I start, unsure what to say to these unfamiliar boys that have been ordered to spend time with me.

"Yeah, um, we're kinda busy right now, Audrey," Ron says. I can tell he's trying to be rude, but I don't think he's a naturally mean kid.

"Oh, okay," I sigh, understanding what they're saying.  
I definitely won't be making friends with these boys anytime soon. I suppose I could try to sneak past Molly to my room, but so many things could go wrong, and I don't really want these boys, however mean they are, to get in trouble with their mom. That won't make them like me anymore.

However, they are not getting away with treating me like this. So, I begin to form a plan. Those boys are gonna regret the day they ignored me.

"Hey, guys. I'm craving orange juice. Mind covering for me if I sneak out real quick? There's a Muggle convenience store just down the road," I ask sweetly.

The guys all nod. Great. Now, I can begin.

 **Reviews are much appreciated, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading this! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

As I rush through the aisles of the small convenience store, I grab what I need. Cream cheese, a few sticks of deodorant, clear nail polish, glow stick, toilet paper, a dozen donuts, ketchup, green food coloring, toothpaste, a few bars of soap, boxed macaroni and cheese, a big bag of tiny little toy spiders, and orange juice as an alibi. This will be perfect. I have it all planned out.

Jogging back to the Burrow, I work quickly. Knowing that Ron and the twins share a bathroom while Ginny, Percy, and I are sharing a separate one, I jog up the stairs to the boys' bathroom and lock myself inside.

Sifting through drawers, I find three sticks of deodorant, each bearing the name of its individual owner. I grab Fred's first and pull off the cap. Then, with the help of a butter knife I took from the kitchen, I work the deodorant out of the stick. Then, I unwrap a block of cream cheese and work that into the stick. When I'm finished and satisfied that the cream cheese looks the same as the deodorant had, I place the cap back on carefully and move on to George's deodorant. Then, I do Ronald's. After that, I gather all the bars of soap in the bathroom. I find one on the sink and another in the shower. Then, carefully, I paint the surface of both bars with clear nail polish. Now, it won't lather. So, they won't be able to wash off the cream cheese. Finally, I grab the bottle of food coloring and squirt a bit into their toothpaste, looking forward to seeing the bright green teeth that will follow.

Heading into the twins' room, I pull out the roll of toilet paper and begin covering their room in it. When the whole roll is gone, I cut two holes in it and insert a glow stick through the roll, shoving it in their dark closet. When I open the closet door, the glow stick looks like glowing animal eyes. Carefully, I pull out my MP3 player and find the monster sounds I downloaded last Halloween to play through its speaker. Putting the sounds on loop, I put the MP3 behind the glow stick. It's gonna scare the socks off of those twins.

Next is Ron's room. This one is easy. Ginny told me he's deathly afraid of spiders. Pulling back the Chudley Cannons comforter on his bed, I pour the entire big bag of small plastic spiders onto the mattress. Confident they look realistic enough, I head back downstairs.

In the kitchen, I pull out the dozen plain donuts and carefully cut holes in five of them. Then, with great care, I squirt ketchup into each hole, making them look like jelly donuts. I'm rather proud of the work, but there's no time to admire it. I put away all the donuts but the five, wanting to give one to the rest of the family. I search the kitchen cupboards until I find a plastic jug. Filling it with water, I pull the package of powdered cheese out of the macaroni and cheese box and carefully add the powder to the water. It's the exact same color as orange juice.

I pour three glasses and then put the rest of the jug in the fridge. Taking the carton of real orange juice out of the fridge, I pour myself a glass.

Finally, I'm done. Time to present the boys with the first prank. Bringing the four glasses outside, I hand one cheese glass to each of the boys.

"Thought you might enjoy a cold drink. It's kinda hot out here," I tell them innocently, batting my long lashes.

"Thanks," the boys all chorus.

I notice then that all they've been doing is playing wizard chess out here. Certainly nothing that should've stopped me from joining them. I watch carefully, barely stifling a giggle, as the boys take a sip all at once. Then, as if in sync, I watch as they all spit it out. They look at me with the most shocked faces. I fall to my knees in laughter.

"Did you-Did you just prank us?" asks George in shock.

It takes me a few minutes to answer, I'm laughing so hard.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. Look, okay? I knew you'd be mad, so I even got donuts to make up for it. Come inside and have one. Please?" I plead with them, acting like I'm genuinely sorry.

"A-Alright," agrees Ron reluctantly, "But only because I really like donuts."

I nod. "Fair enough."

I beckon to the boys, letting them follow me in.

"Help yourself. I didn't know what you guys would want, so I got jelly," I tell them, making sure to keep a straight face. They all just shoot me distrusting scowls.

I watch as they bite into the donuts, and I watch as they spit them out, looks of disgust and horror included. I can't help it. I'm dying of laughter once again.

"I'm never eating again!" Ron cries out.

"We're going to our rooms," Fred and George say, scowling at me.

"I'm going to bed," Ron whimpers.

I snigger, knowing they don't know what they're gonna find.

Two minutes later, I hear the twins shouting at the messy state in which they've found their room.

Three minutes after that, I hear the high-pitched shriek of Ronald finding the surprise in his bed.

Five minutes after that, I hear the girlish screams of the twins finding the "monster" in their closet.

All three of them come storming down the stairs.

"Our room!" shouts Fred.

"My bed!" cries Ron.

"Our closet!" adds George.

"No one pranks us," say Fred and George in unison.

"They prank me," mumbles Ron.

"Someone just did," I remind the twins between giggles.

"Well, my mouth tastes like ketchup and cheese. I need to brush my teeth. Is it safe to brush my teeth?" asks Ron.

"Yeah… What am I gonna do to your toothpaste?" I ask, acting like a prank involving toothpaste is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.

The boys just huff. Five minutes later, down the stairs come three angry, green-mouthed boys.

"You'd better go clean everything up," Fred scowls at me.

"Yeah, Mum's gonna be furious if you leave everything like that," George adds.

Nodding, I head upstairs and scoop the toilet paper and spiders into a garbage bag along with the glow stick and toilet paper, shoving my MP3 player back into my jeans' pocket.

Then, I toss the toothpaste as well, replacing it with the brand new bottle I got at the convenience store. I'll leave the soap and deodorant for now. They'll discover that tomorrow morning.

Finally, I pour out the jug of "orange juice", washing the jug quickly in the sink before putting it away. Then, I toss away the other three ketchup-filled donuts. All cleaned up, I throw the garbage bag away in the Burrow's dumpster.

Coming back inside, I notice Ron's gone and the twins are whispering in the living room. They sit up straight when they hear me come in.

"I hate to admit it," sighs George. I don't realize he's addressing me for a moment.

"But that was some bloody good pranking," Fred finishes.

"Thanks," I grin.

"So, how would you feel about helping us with a couple pranks that we have planned?" George asks.

"Absolutely," I smile at the boys.

"Friends, than?" Fred asks, standing up and offering a hand to shake.

I take his hand. "Of course. Friends, Fred," I grin.

"Wait, you know I'm Fred?" he asks.

"Obviously. Why?" I ask.

"Our own mother can't tell us apart half the time. None of the family can," George informs me.

"See?" Fred asks. "Ronald, get down here! We need you!" he hollers up the stairs to his brother.

Four minutes later, Ron's trudging down the stairs. "What?" he snaps.

"Which one am I?" asks George.

"Ehh… Feorge?" he questions, combining the twins' names.

George claps his hand to his forehead. "No. Now go back to bed, you useless prat," he sniffs.

Ron just shrugs and does as he's told.

"How did you do that?" George asks.

"Wait, wait! Close your eyes," Fred commands.

I do so, unsure what's going on. I hear the boys scrambling around, trying to confuse me.

"Okay, open them," a voice tells me.

Looking around, I see Fred laying on the sofa and George standing on the staircase.

"Who's who?" George asks.

I point to both boys in turn.

"George, Fred," I tell them.

"Brilliant," Fred cries, jumping up from the couch.

"Tell us how you did it," George insists, running towards us.

"What do you mean, 'how did I do it'? You two look completely different," I tell them.

Now they both just scowl.

"We're identical twins. It's in the name. We don't look different," Fred sighs sarcastically.

"Well, George has that big birthmark right under his left ear, and your eyes are set a bit different," I tell them. I scrunch my eyes up and try to figure out how I can really tell them apart, because I totally made the eye thing up. Obviously, there's the birthmark, but it's not just that.

"I dunno. You guys are just… Different," I shrug.

"Well, that's bloody cool. I can't wait for us to start pranking," George grins.

"Oh, yeah. About that…," I start, jogging to the kitchen and grabbing the soap and deodorant I bought. I hand them to the boys. "Toss yours out.""Why?" Fred asks, brows furrowed.

"Just do it. You'll thank me later," I smile.

"You got it," he sighs, deciding to overlook the mysterious deodorant and soap issue. I watch as he starts up the stairs.

"See you at supper, Rey," George tells me with a grin before going to follow his brother upstairs.

I just giggle. Their teeth are still bright green.


	4. Chapter 4

When I first was introduced to the Weasleys, I wrongly assumed I would immediately befriend Ron, seeing as how he and I were the same age and would be in the same year at Hogwarts. This, however, was not the case. I mean, he was a good kid, but he wasn't the type I could be best friends with or anything. It was the Weasley twins with whom I would be spending the rest of that summer.

Fred, George, and I spent our time playing pranks on the rest of the household, and, overall, the three of us just had fun. I was a bit reluctant when it came to playing pranks, solely because I was a guest in the house, but it turns out the Weasley family is quite numb to the twins' jokes.

As the three of us were rolling on the floor laughing one Sunday afternoon, after Molly had quite the surprise when a firecracker exploded from inside her freshly baked cake, she scowled at the three of us, clearly unamused.

"For Merlin's sakes, you're the third twin we never asked for, Audrey," she scolds me.

"Sorry, ma'am," I apologize between fits of laughter.

In a split second, Fred and George jump up.

"Triplet."  
"Our triplet!"  
"That's what you are!"

"The triplet we've always dreamed of!"

The boys continue their commentary as Molly shakes her head at them.

"Well, you 'triplets' need to get outside. I now have to clean up this cake mess," she reminds us.

"Do you need any help?" I offer.

"No. Just go," she sighs, knowing that's what I want.

"Yes, ma'am," I reply.

"Come along, Triplet," George grins at me as Fred lifts me up over his shoulder and carries me outside.

That's how it came to be that Fred and George Weasley became my best friends in the entire world.

* * *

"M'lady," George extends a glass of lemonade toward me in a faux french accent, bowing slightly to me in a goofy fashion.

"Why, thank you, good sir," I return in the same way.

Then, George sprawls out on my left side, wearing just a pair of navy blue swimming trunks. Fred, wearing a matching pair, lays on my right. We're all sunbathing today, requiring a rest from our nonstop pranks. I wear just a white bikini, stretched out across a lawn chair in the boys' backyard. The sun beats down on us, hot, as I go to take a drink from the glass George went inside to get me. The taste, however, is nothing like lemonade.

"What is that?!" I splutter, spitting out the unexpected taste in my mouth.

"Firewhiskey," George chuckles.

"I may or may not have encouraged him to spike the lemonade," Fred grins devilishly.

"Why?!" I ask.

"'Cause it was hilarious!"  
"You should've seen your face!"

I roll off my lawnchair to tackle George, him fending me off with his long, freckled arms, already slightly burnt despite the short exposure to the sun.

Fred decides to join the fight, tugging at my braided hair as I poke George's side, giggling as he squirms. Eventually, I settle on just dumping half a glass of Firewhiskey-spiked lemonade on each of the boys' heads and calling it even.

It was in a similar way that I spent most of the days that summer, and that was the way I liked it.


	5. Chapter 5

Fred and George begged and pleaded with Molly to let me sleep on an air mattress on the floor of their room, but to no avail.

"She shouldn't have to sleep in Ginny's room! She should be spending time with people more her own age!" the boys complain one day while we're all seated for breakfast at the kitchen table.

"Well, then, I suppose I should move her in with Ron!" she suggests as she serves up some scrambled eggs.

This was answered with a resounding 'no' from all three boys: Ron, Fred, and George.

"She should spend time with people who've already been to Hogwarts and can tell her stuff about it."

"For the last time, boys, no!"

I just stare sheepishly at my plate of eggs and eat them quickly so that I can continue on with my day.

"Let's go outside, Rey," Fred pesters me.

"Fine," I sigh, dropping my fork and following after the twins, already halfway across the lawn.

"What are we doing?" I call out to them.

"Flying!" George replies with a chuckle, already mounted on a broom. In a second, he takes off into the air, his twin just behind him.

I watch in awe, my jaw dropped, as the boys fly across the sky. They fly in loops, high and low, clearly showing off. All too soon, though, they come back down to me.

"That was awesome!" I exclaim excitedly.

"Well, we are Beaters on the Gryffindor Quidditch team," Fred informs me, the two boys beaming with pride.

"Can I see?" I ask, gesturing to Fred's broom.

"Sure," he shrugs, dismounting and handing me the broom.

I run my hand over the sleek wood and tightly bound twigs.

"It's a Cleansweep Five," he informs me.

"Nice," I purr, attempting to get on it.

"Careful!" Fred cries out as I push off the ground gently.

I take off in a flash.

George is beside me in an instant.

"Land! Right now!" he shouts as I twirl and corkscrew through the air.

"Why?" I ask, thinking I've got a pretty good handle on the whole flying thing.

"Because you're not really supposed to fly until you've taken the Flying class at Hogwarts! Especially because you've never been taught at all!" George informs me.

That's when I lose it, and the ground comes toward me all too fast.

I'm completely prepared for several broken bones and a very painful crash. Instead, though, I'm met with brisk air and a hand around my waist. George grunts as he pulls me up onto his broom with him. The two of us watch as the broom lands safely in the outstretched hands of its owner.

"Thanks," I tell him.

George grunts in response. Slowly, he begins to land.

When we reach the ground, the yelling begins.

"Never, ever, do anything that reckless and stupid again! Next time I might not be there to catch you!" George shouts.

"I know! I'm sorry! I don't know why I did it!" I tell him, holding back angry tears.

Fred watches sheepishly from off to the side.

"Merlin, Rey, you scared the life out of me!" he roars.

"I know. I'm sorry," I whimper, letting just a few tears slide down my cheeks.

"Merlin, Rey," he repeats, quieter and gentler this time.

"Don't cry."  
Then, the tall boy wraps his arms around me, hugging me tight.

When we break away, Fred does the same, encircling me with his long arms.

When Fred ends the hug, he's grinning ear-to-ear.

"She's a Gryffindor in the making. Where'd you learn to be such a rebel?" he asks.

"Well, I was raised by my dad, and after my mom died I kinda became his everything, so he kept me really close. He had a lot of rules and was really strict. I've always been pretty sheltered, so I ended up developing a bit of an adventurous, rebellious streak," I tell them, wiping my eyes.

They just grin.

"We're all the adventure you could ever want, sweetheart," Fred winks.

"Now, come on. Let's go play a game of Wizard Chess," George suggests.

"Sounds like a plan," I smile, just happy neither of them are mad at me anymore.

I didn't like that George got so mad, but I love that he cares enough to get that mad. It's been a long time since I've felt like anyone but my dad has cared about me that much.


	6. Chapter 6

"Why do we have to go already?" whines Ron.

"Because there's only a week left before school starts, and you all need school supplies," Molly reminds the boy.

"Where are we getting all this stuff?" I whisper to Fred.

"Diagon Alley, of course," he scoffs in return.

"How do we get there? I've never heard of it," I ask.

"Floo Powder," George whispers.

"Boys, show Audrey how it's done," Molly orders the twins.

"Yes, Mum," they reply in unison.

George rushes toward the fireplace, stepping inside. In his hands, he scoops up a pile of dark dust and throws it to the ground. Then, he shouts crisply, "Diagon Alley!". Green flames appear around him, and, in an instant, he has disappeared. Then, Fred follows in the same way.

"Woah!" I exclaim, moving forward to try this exciting new form of travel. Molly holds out the powder to me as I step into the fireplace. I hold the thick powder in my hands, feeling the weight and texture for a moment, before throwing it to the ground, shouting, "Diagon Alley!".

* * *

I find myself amidst a large crowd of odd people wearing cloaks.

"C'mon!" George shouts, hoisting me onto his shoulders so that I can look out upon the sea of people and shops. I squeal in delight at all the different stuff around me. Slowly, George begins to move, taking me with him as he maneuvers through the crowd.

"What do you think so far?" Fred shouts up to me.

"It's beautiful! I just wanna go explore!" I tell him excitedly.

"Well, then, explore we shall, my dear," George winks at me, taking off towards a stand selling pickled hippogriff tongue (a delicacy, according to Fred). I bounce wildly on George's shoulders as he runs as fast as he can while still carrying me. I feel giggles build up inside my chest and burst like bubbles. I tangle my fingers in his thick, fiery hair, trying to get a grip on something, anything. George holds onto my legs as he runs, trying to provide me with some support.

Finally, we reach the stand and are offered a sample of boiled fire crab, covered in a buttery sauce. I accept the offering, and find that it tastes a lot like crab legs in the Muggle world, but it has a kind of smoky, burnt taste to it.

Very quickly after that, though, Molly catches up to us and we must begin our school shopping.

* * *

"C'mon then! Let's start with Gringotts. I'm sure Audrey has some money she needs to withdraw!" Molly informs us.

"I don't have a bank account," I tell the woman sheepishly.

"Of course you do, dear! Your mother was quite rich in our community, you know," Molly winks at me.

"Really?" I ask.

"Why, of course. She was only the lead editor of the Daily Prophet in her day," Molly tells me.

"Isn't that the name of the newspaper Arthur always reads?" I ask.

"Oh, yes. Lorelai Tyler was a great journalist. Turned the most well-known newspaper in the wizarding community into what it is today. Reformed distribution, made it more practical, and tried to crack down on biases and policies of ethics," she sighs. "Great woman. Arthur and I miss her terribly. The older boys, especially Bill and Charlie, remember her, too. We always knew she would be a great mother because of the way she treated them. She always brought them a toy or a candy when she came to visit. She loved children so much. Wanted one desperately. Then, when she found out she was pregnant… Oh, dear me. Always rambling. Come along, then," she sighs, beckoning for us to follow her after seeing my distraught face upon hearing about my mother. I'll have to ask her more about my mother sometime. How could I have gone my whole life without knowing these facts about my own parent?

* * *

Goblins. Goblins run the bank.

That's all I can think, even as I'm leaving Gringotts, bag of Galleons in hand. I did not like it there. I'd had to bury my head in Fred's shoulder the whole cart ride and could barely restrain myself from shrieking every time I saw a goblin. They were too creepy.

I try my best to get it out of my head, though. There's so much to do.

"Let's split up. Triplets, go do robes and get Audrey a wand and a pet if she wants one. I'm going to get everything but the textbooks for everyone. Then, we'll meet at Flourish and Blotts and take care of that. Sound okay to everyone?" she asks. Everyone nods.

"Later, Mum," the twins say in unison, each grabbing one of my hands and pulling me to a store with a sign that reads "Madame Malkin's" in fancy cursive script.

Inside, a nice woman greets us and pulls me to stand up on a wooden stool. I'm the only one who needs robes, because the twins are just reusing last year's. The twins laugh, joke, and keep me entertained while Madame Malkin collects my measurements.

"You know, Rey, no one could ever measure up to you," George grins, thinking he's very funny with his measurement puns. I just raise one eyebrow, not wanting to encourage him.

"Aw, c'mon, Rey. Crack a smile," Fred jokes.

"Yeah, we know you think we're hilarious," George adds.

"No, not compared to me," I grin.

"Alright, you're all done, Miss. Let me run to the back and get your robes ready for ya real quick," Malkin smiles at me politely.

"Of course. What's the fee going to be?" I ask.

"Thirty Galleons," she nods to me as she heads into the backroom of her store.

Carefully, I count out thirty gold coins.

"Gee, you sure do have a lot of gold there, Miss Tyler," George notes.

"Perhaps enough to buy us each an ice cream at the stand down the alley?" Fred asks, eyes hopeful.

"Of course. After I get my pet, we can go get some ice cream," I agree.

The boys grin and in that moment I feel like a mother. These are my boys, my closest friends. I don't even remember what it's like to be without them, and we've only known each other a few short weeks.

Once the robes are brought back out to me, I pay for them and tuck them under my arm before following the boys back outside to Ollivander's Wands.

Stepping inside, a chill runs through me. It's creepy in the shop - dark, with stacks upon stacks of boxes filling the place. I never thought the shopkeeper would emerge until he finally does. A small, shady-looking man with white hair.

"Oh, hello, Audrey Tyler. Finally, you've arrived,"

"Have we met?" I ask nervously.

"Don't worry, Rey. He's like this with everyone," Fred tries to reassure me.

"Let's start with this one," Ollivander shoves a small, rectangular box at me.

Opening it, I find a wand. Unsure what to do with it, I just sort of stand there, wand in hand.

"Well? Go on. Give it a flick," the old man instructs.

I do so, and a shelf-full of wands falls over. I begin to rush over and pick the mess up, but the strange little man shoos me away.

"No, no. Of course not. Not hag hair. What was I thinking?" the man mutters to himself.

He puts the wand away and pulls out another.

I give it a flick, and magnificent red and yellow sparks fly in the direction of the twins.

"Perfect. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. 12 . Beech wood. Phoenix feather core. Bendy," he notes. "You know, a young wizard like yourself being matched with beech wood shows wisdom beyond years. Beech wood matches itself with the open-minded, tolerant, clever, and intelligent. Your friend George, meanwhile, has a wand of Dogwood, signifying a quirky or entertaining personality, but it can be a very serious wand as well. Fred has a wand of Ebony, signifying a happy and courageous owner that is comfortable in his or her own skin. Phoenix feather will give you an ambitious wand, but not many are matched with this core. Interestingly enough, the phoenix from which your feather came gave two other feathers, both of which are in your friends' pockets right now," Ollivander rambles.

Fred and George pull their wands out and run their hands over the wood.

"So, you're saying we have triplet wands? Not just twin wands?" Fred asks.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Ollivander nods.

The boys grin. "Wicked," they say in unison.

"And, if you're interested, the unusually high level of bendiness in your wand suggests that you are very kind and open to many things and all people. Some of the very best wizards and witches had very supple wands like yours. In fact, the legend Harry Potter has a wand like that himself. I sold it to him only a few days ago," Ollivander tells us proudly.

"You sold a wand to Harry Potter?!" the boys exclaim.

"Of course, we don't know he'll become a great wizard yet, but one can only assume," Ollivander notes. "Anyhow, you'd best be off. Twenty galleons, please," Ollivander smiles.

I pay him and we're off, me following the twins out of the dark, dusty store and back out into the bright sunlight.

Quickly, they navigate through the sea of people, and I have a hard time keeping up. I drown in the sea of colorful cloaks until one of the boys grabs my hand, pulling me toward the Magical Menagerie. We go to the Menagerie instead of Eeylop's Owl Emporium, because I warned the boys I'm not a fan of birds.

Stepping inside, I hear the scuffling of rodents, mewing of kittens, and many other familiar and unfamiliar sounds amongst the cacophony. Walking up and down aisles and aisles of cages, I come across animals of all sorts: from snowy white kittens to fat gray rats, much like Ron's pet, Scabbers.

"Which one?" George asks, following behind me closely.

Fred, meanwhile, has run off to try and anger a large, jet-black cobra in a cage in the corner of the shop.

"I dunno. What do you think?" I ask, sticking my fingers inside the cage of a large mouse but pulling them back when the mouse goes to bite them.

George walks ahead of me.

"This one," he says matter-of-factly, unlocking a cage a bit ahead of me. I can't see what's inside until George pulls it into his arms, cradling it.

A tiny orange kitten, its fur almost the exact same shade as the boys' hair. It's a tabby, so it has little white streaks all across it.

"But I don't like cats," I pout, sticking out my bottom lip. Although, even I have to admit this one's kinda cute.

"Aw, c'mon. Just hold her," George insists, placing the kitten gently in my arms.

As soon as he hands me the kitten, I melt.

"Hey, baby girl," I coo as I rub behind the kitten's ginger ears.

"Aww, she's so cute," George babies the kitten, rubbing her belly.

The sleepy kitten yawns and stretches in my arms, waking up to look at the people surrounding her.

"What should I name her?" I ask George, looking up into his big brown eyes.

"Hmm," he mutters, observing the kitten's bright auburn fur and bright blue eyes.

"Phoenix," he suggests, grinning at the name that suits her fiery fur.

"Hi, Nicky," I coo to the kitten.

The kitten nips my finger in response. It doesn't hurt, but I can tell her personality's gonna match her name and fur.

"Let's get her," I grin up at George, who grins back at me happily.

"Alright. Fifty galleons, I believe," he states.

"Easy. C'mon, Nix. Time to take you home," I smile softly down at the little fireball of a kitten.

No wonder George picked her out. She reminds me of the twins in her looks and her feistiness. I walk out carrying a caged kitten, a boxed wand, and a few sets of robes, heading down the alley towards the ice cream stand. After purchasing three ice creams (peppermint bark for me and peanut brittle for both boys), we head to Flourish and Blott's to finish the day. Molly has already picked up my other supplies, besides the textbooks. I pay her back, careful to count out the galleons precisely.

Then, I begin wandering Flourish and Blott's, looking for the necessary textbooks, but perusing the other titles as well. They're funny kinds of books, none that you'd find in any ordinary bookshops. Titles like "Supernatural - The Story Behind Hogwart's Ghosts" and "Magically Mischievous - The Perfect Pranks for Beginners". After about an hour of aimless ambling about the bookstore, I have a heavy stack of textbooks in hand. I pay for them quickly and wait for the Weasley family to finish their shopping.

When it's time to go, I hate it. I love being surrounded by people like me. It's odd and interesting, and I feel like a real witch when I'm there. Yet, all good things must come to an end. So, we head back to the Burrow after a wonderfully productive day.

"Fred?" I ask when we get home.

"Yeah?" he replies.

"Who was that Harry Potter person Ollivander was rambling about back at the wand shop?" I ask, the question having bothered me for a good chunk of the day.

"He's said to be one of the most powerful wizards ever born. He was the one who stopped You-Know-Who, and he was only a baby then. Everyone is convinced that he's going to be capable of anything once he's been taught. He starts at Hogwarts this year, as rumor has it, with you," Fred explains.

"You-Know-Who? That's Voldemort, right?" I ask.

"Shh! Don't say that! Yes!" Fred cries, eyes wide at the sound of his name.

"I'm sorry, but he-he killed You-Know-Who? The wizard who killed my mom?" I ask.

"Yes, Rey, that's the one," Fred tells me, eyes soft.

"O-okay. G'night, Fred," I stutter, unsure I'll be able to sleep at all.


	7. Chapter 7

Trudging up to bed after a long day of shopping, I fall asleep faster than I thought I would, thoughts of my late mother bouncing around my head. Unfortunately, though, that is not what I dream about. It is a different dream that causes me to wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, a dream I haven't had since my uncle left my life so many years ago. I thought I'd moved past it, thought I had pushed it out of my mind, but it's back. I can't fall back asleep, I barely want to close my eyes at all, the old wounds reopened and fresh once more.

Carefully, I sneak past Ginny and my new kitten, Phoenix, and out of our shared room, to the only place (and people) I know will make me feel safe right now.

Opening their bedroom door, I see their sleeping figures and almost turn back, but forgotten sleep haunts my mind and I don't want to lay awake through the night alone the way I used to. I know what that's like, and I don't want to do it again.

Surveying the two occupied beds, not knowing to whom I should go, something draws me to George, and I allow it.

"George," I nudge the sleeping boy.

"Mrphh," he hums, eyes closed.

Then, they flutter open, recognizing my voice.

"Audrey, what-," he begins.

"Shh!" I hush him, not wanting to wake the other boy unless I have to.

"Please, can I just sleep here tonight? I swear, I'll explain in the morning," I ask him.

The boy just stares at me a moment, then he nods slowly.

"Sure," he whispers, moving over in the narrow bed.

I climb in, careful to take up as little room as possible, and pull the blankets up to my chin. George arranges himself so that we fit in the bed nicely, his arm around my middle.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he whispers sleepily, his breath warm against the back of my neck.

"No, but I'll be okay," I whisper back.

There's silence for a moment, and George grabs my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before falling asleep once more.

I listen to the gentle sounds of George's breathing, letting it lull me back to sleep. I feel safe and comfortable, and I know that with George beside me, the nightmare won't be coming again. Not tonight.

* * *

"Uhh, guys?" I hear a familiar voice as I wake to someone tapping my shoulder.

"Nghh," I moan and bury my face in a pillow.

"Rey, this is weirding me out. Please wake up so you can explain why you're in my brother's bed," the voice pleads with me.

I gasp and open my eyes suddenly, remembering last night.

George is still fast asleep beside me, his arm around my waist. I'm tangled in his sheets, my bare legs exposed. In hindsight, I could have changed pajamas before coming in here, but oh well. They've seen me in my short shorts and tank top before, it's not like it would have made that big of a difference.

Carefully, I wiggle out of George's warm embrace and the many layers of blankets before sitting on the bed and facing Fred.

"I had a night terror. I couldn't be alone anymore, so I came in and asked George if I could sleep in his bed for the night. That's all," I sigh.

"Oh. Well, okay. You want to tell me what it was about?" Fred asks.

"No, but I promised George I would tell him anyway, so I might as well tell you also. Should I wake George now, or…?" I ask George's twin, glancing down at George's face, made soft with sleep.

"Yeah, you might as well," Fred shrugs, obviously just eager to hear about my dream.

"Georgie? George, it's time to wake up," I shake the boy.

Slowly, he wakes, his eyes glazed with sleep and his fiery hair mussed.

"Rey?" he asks sleepily.

"Yeah, George. It's me. It's time to wake up," I sigh.

The twin rubs the sleep out of his eyes and sits up.

"You going to tell me what had you so scared last night now?" he asks.

"Yeah. It's kind of a long story," I confess, rubbing the back of my neck nervously.

"So, after my mom died, my uncle, Raymond, stayed with me and my dad for several years. You know, my dad was distressed. He had no idea how to take care of me on his own and had just lost the love of his life. Uncle Raymond was Dad's older brother, and Dad loved and looked up to Raymond more than anything. He was Dad's only family left aside from me, and I couldn't talk yet. Anyways, Raymond had a really bad temper, and whenever Dad wasn't home he used to… you know… hit me. It was really bad for a while. Bruises all up and down my body, just barely able to be hidden with long sleeves and pants. I never wanted to tell Dad because I knew Raymond meant a lot to him, and I thought he would blame me for taking away the only family he had. Anyways, Raymond left after a couple years. Met a girl and said he was going to start a life of his own. He hasn't visited since. Dad's talked to him, though, and apparently he's become a very successful businessman. However, for the next several years I suffered from horrible night terrors, and, not wanting to tell Dad, I would just suffer through them every night. I swear, it nearly killed me. Thank God, eventually they stopped, and I stopped thinking about him. Tried to forget. I don't know why the night terrors came back last night, but I knew I couldn't just stay in that room all alone. I'm sorry," I confess, unable to look at the twins, focusing my attention on my chipped mint green toe nail polish.

That's when I feel a set of arms wrap around my front.

A second pair wraps around me from behind.

"I'm sorry," Fred whispers into my hair, planting a kiss on top of my head.

"You never have to worry about your uncle again. We're never going to let anything happen to you," George whispers, rubbing between my shoulder blades.

Pulling away, Fred growls, "I have half a mind to kill that filthy Muggle."

"Me too," George agrees.

"It means the world to me, but you know you can't do that," I remind them.

"No, but what we can do is comfort you if that ever happens again," Fred tells me sternly,

"My bed is always open," George winks, grinning goofily.

I shove him playfully.

"Why did you pick George over me?" Fred asks, looking more than a little hurt.

I run through a list of reasonable excuses, knowing I don't have one and not wanting to hurt Fred's feelings.

"You were tossing and turning. I had a feeling sleeping in your bed would not be very fun," I reply reluctantly, knowing very well this is a lie and unsure it will work. I'm not sure why I chose George's bed, but I think if I have night terrors again, I'm fairly certain I'd choose George as well. I need an excuse that allows that.

"Yeah, that's true. I'm a bit of a kicker. That's fair," Fred sighs.

Yes! It worked! Lucky guess.

"Alright, well, let's just try and go enjoy one of our last days of summer," I grin at the two boys.

"Get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs in five," I command them, walking out of the door and shutting it behind me, ready to forget about the dream and enjoy the day to come.


	8. Chapter 8

The night terrors got progressively worse over the rest of the week. Each time they happened, I came to George. He would hold me, and, when I woke up, both the twins would comfort me. I don't know why the dreams are coming back. All I know is that they are, and that scares me.

When the time comes to head to school, I'm terrified. It's mostly because that will mean separation from the twins, and they've been holding me together. More than that, what if they don't want to be friends with me at all? I mean, I'm not stupid. I know I'm not their only friend. They've told me about Lee, Angelina, and Katie. I'm sure those aren't their only friends. They're funny and cool and who wouldn't want to be friends with them? I'm not usually the jealous type, but what if they forget about me when school starts? I'm going to be a first year, not exactly a catalyst for their reputation.

Boarding the train, I nearly forget my trunk at the station. It's been a long, emotional trip to King's Cross. Molly and Ginny have both barely been holding in their tears, and Ron and I are both dreadfully nervous about the school year to come. Fred and George try to reassure me, but I'm beyond the point of being reassured, especially about them and our possibly ending friendship. I don't even know what I'll do about my night terrors if they abandon me.

Once on board, Fred and George are surrounded by a large mass of students. I just sort of stand awkwardly to the side and try to find a compartment of my own, thinking that this is the beginning of the end.

I find Ron and Harry Potter, whom we met at the station, in a compartment of their own, and I take a seat beside them.

"Hey, Audrey. You going to sit with us?" Ron asks.

I shrug.

"Audrey? That's a nice name," Harry offers by way of greeting, but, sensing my mood, the two boys stop attempting to make conversation with me.

"Hey, Ron, have you seen-... Rey!" the twins exclaim, stepping into our compartment. I look up at them, surprised to see them.

"We've been looking for you. Lee and the rest of them were disappointed you ran off. We told them all about you and they're excited to meet you," George says, concerned, sitting down beside me.

"Besides that, Lee's got a giant tarantula, and-," Fred starts excitedly, jumping from one foot to the other.

"Shut it, Fred. Can't you see she's upset?" George asks his twin.

Fred immediately shuts up and sits on my other side.

"What's the matter, Rey? Ya gotta tell us so we can fix it," George pleads with me.

"Nevermind. I'm overreacting. Let's go have a look at that tarantula," I sigh, not wanting to start drama, as I go to stand and leave the compartment.

"No, we're not going anywhere until you tell us what's wrong," Fred states, grabbing my wrist and pulling me back down onto the bench.

"Promise you're not gonna be mad?" I ask.

"Of course," Fred replies, puzzled.

"I just… I was worried you'd forget about me now that you have your school friends around. It's ridiculous. I'm sorry. I was being kind of a baby, wasn't I?" I confess.

"Well, that certainly is ridiculous," George chuckles.

"And you were kinda a baby," Fred laughs, ruffling my hair, causing me to pout.

"Don't you know we'd never forget you, Rey? How could we?" George scoffs as though it's the most ridiculous thing he's ever heard.

"We'd never forget our triplet," Fred grins.

"Now, come on. There's a giant tarantula in the middle of the train that's calling our names," George laughs, grabbing my hand and helping me up.

"By the way, Harry, I'm Fred and this is George Weasley. You've already met our brother, Ron, and our best friend, Audrey, I see. See you later then," Fred introduces himself quickly before grabbing my other hand and helping George pull me out of the compartment.

* * *

The rest of the train ride is the twins introducing me to their friends. Lee is funny and will flirt with anything. Angelina is loud and reckless, and I can tell Fred fancies her. Katie is kind and quiet, and we get along well. I chat with her for a good part of the train ride. I can feel the twins making me become easily accepted, despite the fact that I'm only a first year and all the twins' friends are third years like them. I can also tell from the amount these people know about me that the twins must have talked about me a lot. That feels good, knowing that they care that much.

When the cart with sweets comes around, I buy some for the twins and all their friends. We laugh, eat, and play games, even setting off a firecracker in the compartment next to ours, scaring a group of second years.

My new friends teach me about the wizard candies, and tell me what I can expect when we arrive at Hogwarts. I'm eager to learn, and I listen avidly to what they have to tell me.

"You know my baby brother, Ron?" Fred asks the compartment.

His friends nod.

"You'll never believe it, but he's sharing a compartment with Harry Potter. It's really him. George, Rey, and I even saw the scar. We all talked to him, especially Rey. That's where she ran off to earlier," Fred boasts.

The others are impressed, and they bombard me with questions about "the famous Harry Potter".

I can't answer most of the questions, but I can tell it earns me a couple "cool points".

"You know, we're almost there," George states, looking out the train window.

"We'd better put on our robes," he elbows me.

I nod and rifle through my trunk to find my robes. Taking off my jean jacket, I pull the long black robes on over my thin white blouse and skinny jeans. The robes go all the way down to the floor, covering my mint converse.

Everyone else in the compartment does the same, but their robes have their house badges over the breast and they all loop ties around their necks in the Gryffindor colors of scarlet and gold. I'll receive my badge and tie when I'm sorted, but, for now, I feel out of place.

When the train pulls to a stop, everyone heads out into the hall to join the other students.

"Rey, you're gonna have to leave us when we get out there, but we'll see you in the Great Hall, okay?" Fred informs me. The two boys stand on either side of me, each grabbing one of my hands and giving it a firm squeeze.

"Okay," I nod.

That's when I hear a large man calling for first years, and I leave my twins, cold and scared and alone.

* * *

Clumsily, I make my way down the path to the shore of a huge lake. I tune out everyone around me. I must look sick, because a mildly plump but kind-faced girl comes to my side.

"Are you alright?" she eyes me with mild concern.

"Fine," I breathe.

"Care to share a boat?" she asks, noticing as the large man orders us to find a boat in groups of four.

"Sure," I say, not having any other offers at hand.

Carefully, the strange girl and I board a tiny wooden boat.

A scrawny blonde boy and a bony girl with dull black hair board as well.

"Draco Malfoy," the blonde boy snivels, looking the other girl and I up and down.

"Lavender Brown. A pleasure," the girl replies enthusiastically.

"Yes… quite," Draco replies, more reluctant than she.

"Audrey Tyler," I introduce myself quietly, out of politeness. Not up for continued conversation, I stare off into the distance.

"Well, I'm Pansy Parkinson. Dracie-Poo's girlfriend," she enunciates carefully, being sure to make it very clear that the blonde is claimed territory,

"No, you're not, Pansy. Geroff me," he sighs, shaking off the girl's unwanted grip.

I might have found this amusing if I weren't so nervous.

I notice now that everyone's boarded, and the large man directing us orders the boats forward loudly.

I look up at the huge towers of the castle, intimidated by its hugeness and complexity. The twins told me not to be scared, but I am. I really, really am.

I can't properly enjoy the boat ride, barely conscious enough to duck when we pass under a cliff.

We continue our journey a few minutes longer. I actually become quite nauseous, unused to travelling by boat.

Eventually, we reach a rocky shore, where I scramble out and allow my feet to regain dry land as quickly as is possible. I don't want to move, but soon we must. We move from rocky shore to passageway to a grassy area just before the castle.

We stand before a huge wooden door for a moment before the large man leading us knocks on it heavily, and we all anticipate nervously our first glimpse of the legendary Hogwarts castle.


	9. Chapter 9

Foreword: Originally, this chapter and the one before it contained Luna Lovegood, but this was substituted with Lavender Brown since a lovely reader pointed out Luna was not in Harry's class. Much love to my readers, constructive criticism is needed and appreciated always! I just wanted to point this out to avoid any confusion. I hope you continue to enjoy!

The door swings open, and I see a woman who can only be Professor McGonagall, exactly the way the twins described her. She looks awfully stern, coarse black hair and brilliant green robes, a face covered in wrinkles that make her look wise. Yet, her eyes glimmer brightly and reconfirm what the twins have already told me. Though this woman looks stern, she is kind and good-humored, caring about students immensely. This is the kind of teacher I have always enjoyed.

Quickly, the woman pulls us inside the entrance hall and across the echoing stone floor to a small, empty little room. In a fast talking voice, she gives us a quick rundown, but I tune her out. Fred and George have been over this with me a million times. While the other students are nervous, I'm suddenly confident, already fully aware of what's ahead. They told me that they weren't supposed to reveal how we are sorted, but they informed me anyway when they saw how nervous I was. Many of the students in the little room with me are giving me nervous glances, noticing my poise and confidence, which is something the rest of them are lacking.

The only part of McGonagall's speech I heed is her telling us to smarten ourselves up. I smooth my new robes and retie my ponytail, running my long fingers through my thick auburn hair a few times. I turn quickly to the girl I rode on the boat with.

"Do I look okay?" I ask in a quiet, quick voice.

"Yes, of course. Me?" she asks, seeming shocked to hear me speak. It was probably rude of me not to have spoken to her much earlier, but I was just so eager to get inside the castle and feeling so queasy.

"Yes, you look very pretty," I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile in an attempt to make up for my previous rudeness.

That's when a few figures join us in the room. Ghosts. Fred warned me about this. While the other students jump and scream, I just watch them. Most of my classmates are terrified, but, aware they're harmless, I find them fascinating.

I'm just about to start up a conversation with a particularly interesting ghost woman wearing a small tiara on her head when McGonagall shoos the ghosts off. It's time for the sorting.

Quickly, we line up. I stand in front of Lavender and behind Ronald, whom I haven't seen since the train. Then, we proceed into the Great Hall.

I take in my surroundings: a ceiling bewitched to look like the night sky, thousands of floating candles, and four long tables. That's when I spot them. My boys. We've only been separated about an hour, but I've missed them more than I thought possible. Maybe I'm clingy, maybe I'm pathetic, but I don't really care. I've never had true friends before them, so I think I kind of have a right.

The two of them look up from their conversation with Lee and find me immediately. We lock eyes and I give them a grin and a cheeky wink. They grin back and hold two thumbs up. I giggle a bit as we reach the front of the Great Hall.

McGonagall places the hat in front of us, and it's as filthy and worn as I had imagined, if not worse. Then, suddenly, the hat breaks out into a funny little song, and I join the rest of the Great Hall in applause. Now all that's left is to wait to be sorted.

When McGonagall starts calling out names in alphabetical order, I know that I'm going to have to wait a long time with a last name like "Tyler".

I wait, and I wait, and I wait. Yet, all I can think is a steady hum in the back of my mind. Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor.

Soon, Harry Potter is called. This must be a big deal, because, when he's sorted into Gryffindor, the Gryffindor table launches into the loudest applause I've ever seen. I can hear the twins' voices above the rest, and that relaxes my nerves just a bit.

Too soon, though, the only ones left are Ron, a dark-skinned boy named Blaise, and I. I know it's my turn.

"Tyler, Audrey," McGonagall calls out. I move nervously to sit on the wooden stool. The last thing I see before the hat drops over my eyes is the twins craning their necks to get a glimpse of my sorting.

I wait, silently, absorbing the dank quiet inside the hat.

"My, well, so many houses you could go. Ambitious, driven, and hardworking. A bit of a manipulative streak too… Ah, but you are quite loyal and kind, always willing to lend a helping hand. And wise, so wise, too mature for your age. Probably forced to grow up too fast. And reckless. Oh my. Quite the thirst for rebellion. Very brave. I don't know. You could be placed anywhere…" the hat contemplates.

Gryffindor, Gryffindor, I shout in my mind. It echoes through my bones, through my soul, the longing to be in the House of Scarlet and Gold.

"Ah, yes. I suppose you could help make the choice for me. If that's what you really want, than it has to be… GRYFFINDOR!" he shouts it to the rest of the Great Hall.

My applause is almost as big as Harry's. Fred and George jump up from their places at the Gryffindor table, and, though McGonagall tries to intercept them and send them back to the table, they envelop me in a hug, shouting and whooping in my ear the entire time. They appear to have commissioned the rest of the table to join in as well.

"WE GOT AUDREY! WE GOT AUDREY!" they jump up and down, grinning wildly. Too soon though, we're shooed away by McGonagall.

I laugh at the cheering Gryffindor table.

"What would you've done if I hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor," I giggle.

"We still would've cheered for you," Fred grins.

"Yeah. We'd have cheered the loudest," George joins in.

"Now, come on. We saved a seat for you just in case," Fred gestures to the three empty seats at the Gryffindor table. Quickly, we take our seats when we notice the disapproving looks McGonagall's giving us.

From out of his robe pocket, George pulls out a badge and pins it carefully to the front of my robe for me. Looking down at it, I see the Gryffindor crest.

"What's this?" I ask, seeing that it matches everyone else's.

"One of Charlie's old badges. I snatched it for you. You'll be issued some tomorrow, but I wanted you to fit in tonight," he smiles lopsidedly at me.

"But you didn't even know I was gonna be a Gryffindor," I blush.

"Had a feeling," he winks at me.

"Oh! And there's this," he pulls out a matching Gryffindor tie. "Turn your collar up."

I obey the demand quickly, and George carefully ties it for me.

"I'm assuming you've never had to tie a tie before, so I'll teach you to do it yourself sometime," he promises me as he finishes with it.

"Sounds like a plan," I wink at the boy as I turn my collar back down.

Before the conversation can be continued farther, though, the headmaster, Dumbledore, stands to give a speech.

I see the glimmer and the kindness in Dumbledore's soft, bright blue eyes as he stands and spreads his arms toward all of us. I can see that he is very old and also very wise, brilliant even, but probably also a bit mad after hearing his speech, made up of an assortment of made-up words.

When he sits down, though, everyone applauds, and I join in. What's more worthy of applause, though, is the feast that appears on the table shortly afterwards. I pile my plate, and barely manage to eat at a proper rate, withstraining from stuffing my face in a rather rude manner. As we eat, everyone talks. The boys, Lee, Angelina, Katie. All of us. They're really quite welcoming, especially now that I'm a part of their house.

"Excited for Quidditch season, Fred? George?" asks Lee, face stuffed with lamb chops.

"Not as excited as you, Lee," Fred chuckles.

Fred and George, during the summer, turned me into a big fan of the Chudley Cannons, the Weasley family's favorite Quidditch team.

"I know Fred and George are Beaters, but what do you play, Lee?" I ask after swallowing a mouthful of bacon.

"Oh, he doesn't play," Fred smirks.

"Shut up. I'm an important part of the team," Lee whines.

"Oh, you're not even on the team. You're not on any team!" George chuckles, shoving Lee playfully.

"What do you do?" I whine to Lee, stabbing my fork into my piece of steak.

"I'm the school's Quidditch commentator," Lee tells me importantly, puffing out his chest.

"Stop making fun of Lee, you guys. I wish I had that job!" I exclaim.

"Sure you do, Rey. You're just too nice," George sticks his tongue out at me.

"You didn't think that when I was pranking the socks off of you two during the summer," I bring up the pranking war that started our friendship.

"Hey! I thought we agreed to forget about that!" Fred cries out.

"Fine, fine," I smirk, going back to my food.

When I'm well and completely stuffed, dessert appears. Suddenly, I'm not so full anymore.

I grab myself a heaping mound of peppermint bark ice cream. It's a seasonal flavor, so I haven't had it since last December, except in Diagon Alley, and it's like heaven in my mouth.

"So, Rey, I know why you came to stay with the Weasleys, but what's your family like?" Katie asks between bites of apple pie.

"Oh, well, I don't know if you knew this, but my mom, Lorelai Tyler, was editor of the Daily Prophet," I start.

"Oh my God, seriously? That's huge!" Angelina exclaims through a mouthful of Jell-O, blushing when Fred chuckles at her impoliteness. The two obviously have a thing for each other. George and I exchange a smirk.

"Yeah, well. Voldemort killed her when I was a baby, so I never really knew her," I shrug, digging my spoon into my ice cream.

Both girls coo, and even Lee gives me a sad look, while George rubs circles on my back comfortingly. I appreciate the gesture, but the pity makes me feel a bit awkward.

"It's not a big deal, guys. Seriously. Anyways, my dad was always really great. A bit overprotective, but really loving and kind," I smile at the thought of him. It feels like years since I've seen my dad.

"I wish my dad was like that. He doesn't care what I do. As long as I do my school work and don't watch too much television, he doesn't really pay attention," Katie looks at me longingly, as though wishing we could trade places.

"Uhh, no you don't. Having strict parents is horrible. I mean, I can't get away with anything when I'm home. That's why I have to excercise my rebellious streak all I can here at school," Angelina smirks. Fred's practically drooling.

"I don't know about any of that, but I wouldn't trade my dad for the world. Of course, the overprotectiveness has made me tend toward rebellion the way it does for Angelina," I grin at George, recalling the incident with the broom during the summer. He remembers too and scowls at me, which makes me laugh.

All too soon, though, the feast comes to a close, ending with another speech from Dumbledore. The first thing he mentions is the Forbidden Forest. His eyes find the twins amidst the crowd, and I stifle a giggle. The twins have told me all about the mischief they've caused in this castle, and their adventures in the forest are stories they've told me many times. He also mentions that magic is forbidden in the halls between classes, upcoming Quidditch trials, and the off-limits right-hand side of the third floor corridor. Finally, the gathering is ended with the singing of the school song.

Dumbledore tells us to pick a tune to which we will sing the lyrics, suspended in mid-air by Dumbledore. The twins get me in on their plan to sing to the tune of a slow, familiar funeral-march. I laugh and happily join in, even as we're the last students left singing. Dumbledore acts as conductor while we finish on our own and applauds the loudest when we have completed the song.

The other first years start to follow Percy out of the hall when we've been dismissed, but I linger a bit, not ready to leave.

"Don't follow our brother. He's a bloody tosser. Earlier today he kept showing off his prefect badge and rubbing it in our faces. Come with us. We'll get there faster," Fred grabs my hand, pulling me toward the Great Hall exit. George, Angelina, Katie, and Lee follow closely behind as Fred leads me toward a staircase. And then another, and another, and another.

"Sometimes they change," George comments.

"What?" I ask, not understanding what exactly he's referencing.

"The staircases and passageways. Sometimes they change. It's easy to get lost here. Always walk with someone else until you're used to it," he shares a tip with me.

"Okay. Hopefully, sometimes I can just walk with you guys," I sigh.

"Of course," he grins.

Finally, we reach the portrait of the Fat Lady that the twins told me about.

"Password?" she asks. No one knows.

"Caput Draconis," Angelina pushes ahead to tell the Fat Lady. "I knew you wankers would've already forgotten."

We step inside the common room, a fire lit in the hearth and many comfy-looking couches and chairs surrounding it, all atop a scarlet and gold rug. It looks homey and warm, and I just want to curl up then and there.

However, the twins won't allow it, and they instead show me up to my dorm. This is a difficult maneuver, because, they've told me, the girls' dormitory stairs are enchanted to turn into a slide should a boy set foot on them. So, carefully, they lay across the railing, just tall enough to stretch all the way across, and scoot themselves up the stairs and into the dorm. I have a sort of laughing fit, because they look absolutely ridiculous, scooting along and never touching the floor.

Finally, when we're all at the top, I have a look around. There are four four-poster beds hung with dark red drapes. My trunk, and everyone else's trunks, have already been brought up.

"Turn around," I order the twins.

"What?" they ask, perplexed.

"I'm changing," I sigh.

"Can't you wait till we're gone?" Fred whines.

"No, I'm coming back downstairs with you," I snap.

"Geez, someone's grumpy," George grumbles as they turn around.

Opening my suitcase, I quickly find my Eminem tank top and a pair of shorts and begin to undress.

That's when I hear, "Um, are we interrupting something?" a voice asks.

"Shit," I grumble under my breath, blushing beet red and finishing changing quickly.

"It's not what it looks like, I swear. They came up to show me around and I made them stay while I changed quick so I could go back down with them. We're close friends. It's nothing weird," I'm blushing furiously.

"I-It's okay," a bushy-haired girl replies reluctantly. "Except… how did they get up here? The staircase is supposed to be enchanted," she wonders.

"Scooted up the handrail," Fred confesses.

"Oh, okay. You're the Weasley twins and their friend Audrey, right? You all were at the Burrow this summer?" she asks.

"Yeah, how did you know?" I ask.

"Ronald told me. Said you three were really close friends. I probably should've expected this. I'm Hermione Granger," she holds out a hand for me to shake. I take it.

"Audrey Tyler," I smile softly.

She extends the same hand to both the twins.

"This is Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. I believe we'll be bunking together for the next eight years," she reminds me.

"That doesn't sound at all menacing," George whispers to his twin. I elbow him harshly in the ribs.

"Lavender and I have met. She was quite nice on the boat ride here," I offer her a friendly smile. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you all today, and I'm sure we'll be getting to know each other much better very soon, but the twins and I were just about to head back down, so I'll let you three head to bed," I tell them politely.

"Of course," Parvati smiles at me politely. Her voice is small and she seems like a quiet girl, but nice enough I'm sure.

"Nice seeing you again!" Lavender squeals. She seems loud and outgoing, maybe a bit annoying, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about her yet.

"Yes, goodnight," Hermione yawns sleepily. I don't know what to make of her, but I have a feeling we'll be friends, and I'm not sure why.

I ignore the feeling, though, and instead grab the hands of the two people in the world I'm most sure of, and I pull them downstairs after me.


	10. Chapter 10

Fred, George, and I have fallen asleep in the common room by the fire, Fred and I beside each other on one sofa and George laying haphazardly on an armchair in the kind of position that makes you sore for days afterward. I wake with a lazy yawn to the sight of Ron and Harry staring at us.

"Hi?" I ask sleepily, wondering why they're here.

"You're going to be late for class you know… How late were you even up?" Ron starts.

"Crap," I mutter under my breath, jumping up. Suddenly, I'm not so tired anymore. We were up very, very late.

"Fred, George," I hiss, shoving Fred a bit.

Fred yawns largely.

"What?" he whines crankily, clearly very sleepy still.

"We're going to be late," I snap at him, having no time for his lollygagging. "I gotta go get ready. Make sure George gets up, please," I sigh, running up the stairs to my dorm.

No one's left. They've all gone. I won't even have time for breakfast, and even then I might be late. And on my first day, too.

Sure enough, a set of Gryffindor ties and badges is waiting on my bed, just the way George had said.

I rummage through my trunk as fast as I can and manage to pull on a clean white blouse and black sweater with some jeans before pulling my long robes over top. I quickly pin the badge to my lapel and make an attempt at tying my tie, but George had been right. I'm completely puzzled by the complexity of the tie.

So, I run downstairs, then up to the boys' dorm.

"BE DECENT! I'M COMING UP!" I shout as I run up the stairs.

The boys do well to obey and are both dressed (if a bit carelessly) by the time I make it up the stairs.

"What?" Fred snaps, cranky from having to wake up so abruptly.

"Please. I need help," I plead with them, worried about being late for class. I hold out the scarlet and gold tie, tears welling up in my eyes, and George snatches it up immediately.

"Collar up," he orders gently, sensing my worry.

I do so quickly, my fingers fumbling. His own larger fingers work quickly and nimbly to tie the garment.

"There you are. You look great," he smiles, finishing up the tie.

I can't help but smile when George does.

"Now, no more tears. I know it's scary. Your first day in a new place, but you're going to do just fine. You'll be a wonderful witch. I know it. So, let's go get some breakfast quick. There's plenty of time," he coos.

This is why I love George. I mean, I love Fred too, obviously, but George is just so much gentler, particularly when I'm upset.

I nod at George's suggestion and follow the boys down the stairs and to the Great Hall.

After a good breakfast, and after I've calmed down a bit, the boys show me to my first class. In fact, the boys walk me to every class. I don't know how they make it to their own in time, but they never fail to meet me for our between-class walk.

They ask me how things are going, give me pointers on how to handle the teachers, and help me avoid Peeves and Mr. Filch, with his cat Mrs. Norris.

Every day, I learn something new about the huge and wonderfully odd castle. It's magnificent and beautiful and I'm quickly learning to love it immensely. I can tell from the way the boys talk about it that they feel the same.

During breakfast on Friday, me sandwiched between the twins and my face stuffed with porridge and bacon, Fred asks, "Hey, you have Friday afternoons off, too, right?".

I nod a bit. "Yeah, I think everyone does. Why do you ask?" I inquire curiously.

"We thought maybe you could help us out with our first prank of the school year," George explains, smirking as he sees my face light up at the sound of a prank.

"I'd love to!" I cry, swallowing the bite of porridge.

I'm practically bouncing up and down as I ask, "So, what's the prank?"

"A surprise," Fred rolls his eyes.

I groan loudly, wanting to help them plan.

"You shouldn't have to plan your first prank at Hogwarts. Just show up and help us make the magic happen," George winks.

"Fine," I mutter grumpily.

"Aw c'mon. Don't get your robes in a twist," Fred jokes.

"Cut it out. Now, come on. We have to hurry if we want to get to class on time," I urge the twins on.

They nod and we leave the Great Hall, me walking between the two boys. I'm a bit nervous. It's my first class with Professor Snape, and everyone says he's really strict and kind of mean.

"Don't worry, Rey. He'll love you. Everyone does," Fred assures me.

"Then again, I don't think Snape really loves anyone. Not even the Slytherins," George makes a face.

"You're not helping," I groan.

"Sorry," George puts one arm around my shoulder, his books tucked under his other arm.

I shake him off, sticking my tongue out.

Finally, we reach the stairs down to the Dungeons. It's dark and damp down here, lit by torches, which gives it a kind of ominous look. Our footsteps echo as we walk. The boys seem unfazed, but it sends a shiver down my spine.

"This is where we leave you," Fred sighs as we reach the door to the Potion's classroom.

"Alright," I breathe shakily, giving the two a last, meaningful glance before stepping through the door.

I'm the first to class, and I sit down awkwardly in the very back when I see that Professor Snape is at the front already, sitting at his desk. He glances up when he hears me come in. The man has long, greasy black hair and a crooked nose.

"You don't have to sit back there you know. You're more than welcome to take a seat at the front of the class," he keeps his eyes focused on his papers.

Shakily, I pick up my books and move to a desk in the very front.

"Name?" he asks.

"Tyler. Audrey Tyler," I stutter.

"Tyler? Where do I know that name?" he finally looks up from what he's doing.

Quickly, his eyes scan my face.

"Lorelai Tyler's daughter," he observes. It's not a question.

"You look like her, you know. Except your hair. Your mother… she was blonde," he tells me in a soft voice.

"My father's hair," I murmur.

"She was good. Profoundly good."

He doesn't say anything else for the next several minutes, until the rest of the class arrives. I can't place why, but I like this man the other students hate. I don't know for what reason I feel the way I do, but I sense that he's truly a good man beneath this hateful facade he puts up around others.

Throughout the entirety of the class, the students stay silent. I watch the professor's every move, as though mesmerized. It's the way he speaks that fascinates me, barely louder than a whisper but still everyone hears, because his voice itself commands attention.

Unfortunately, we get two points taken away from Gryffindor, and, worse yet, Neville, an odd Gryffindor boy, spills his potion on the floor, ending up with boils covering his body. For some reason, I don't think the class was a good one. Gee, I wonder why. However, I know Snape isn't exactly full of restraint when it comes to taking points. Apparently he's taken loads from the twins.

As soon as we're dismissed from class, I head up out of the dungeon and outside of the castle, onto the grounds. The grounds, by the way, are beautiful. It's fall, so the grass is green and the trees are a multitude of colors. The Great Lake is clear, and the boys sit on the shore. Coming up behind them, I try to scare them. "Boo!" I shout.

Both boys jump, and I giggle happily as I take a seat between them. That's when I notice, sprawled out in front of them are about a dozen boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans. Gesturing to the boxes, I have to ask, "What's the deal, guys?".

"Our first prank," Fred smirks.

"An easy one to start you off," George adds.

"What makes you think I can't handle a hard prank?" I scowl.

"Aw, you know I didn't mean it like that, Rey," George nudges me when he sees my frown.

"Whatever. Just… What is it?" I inquire.

"Well, George and I stumbled upon a spell that lets you sort the 'good' beans from the 'bad' beans. So, we're gonna sort all the 'good' beans out of the boxes and give the remainder to our friends and Professor Snape. Watch 'em squirm," Fred grins.

"No, not Snape," I shake my head.

"Why? He scare ya, sweetheart?" George asks.

"No, I just like him," I shrug.

The boys look at me like I must be high or something.

"No one likes Snape," Fred sputters.

"I do, and we're not pranking him today. He's not in a good mood," I shake my head, remembering the potion-spilling incident.

"But-," Fred starts.

"It's fine, Fred. Let it go. If she doesn't want to prank him, we don't have to," George reasons.

"And I dunno why you think Snape would take a box of jelly beans from you, anyway," I chuckle.

"Fine, whatever," Fred snaps. "Let's just get to work."

Opening the first box, George pulls out his wand and, with careful enunciation, says, "Genus vulgaris", swishing his wand. Fred grabs another box and does the same.

Because I don't know how to do spells yet, the boys set me to work opening the boxes, and, when the beans are sorted, have me put the 'bad' ones back into their boxes, resealing them.

When we're done, we have nine full boxes of nasty beans, and we head back inside, the boxes shoved into Fred's robe pockets. The other three boxes have been refilled with the 'good' beans. It was my idea. That way, the boys and I can eat them, so it doesn't seem like we're pranking. I'm so excited to see our friends' reactions, I'm practically bouncing as we make our way back to the castle.


	11. Chapter 11

After supper, Lee and the girls, Katie and Angelina, invite the boys and I to the Quidditch pitch for a game, just for fun. However, with smirks on our faces, the three of us turn them down, claiming a ton of homework. Lee and the girls nod and understand.

"Sure wish you could come, though, Rey," Lee winks at me, sounding disappointed. The twins both scowl at him. Lee's always flirting with me, like any girl, and the boys are very protective over me.

"Ah, me, too, Lee. Would've loved to see the look on your face when I beat your sorry arse," I smirk. The twins just grin, because now Lee's the one scowling.

"C'mon, Rey. Homework," Fred "reminds" me, whining.

"Alright, let's go," I sigh, grabbing the arms of both boys' robes and tugging them after me out of the Great Hall and toward the staircase, the boys shaking me off.

"Y'know, Rey," George starts, "You used a British cuss down there," he smirks at me. Suddenly, I realize he's right. I said "arse".

"I probably picked it up from you wankers," I put emphasis on the word, glaring at them both. They just giggle, loving the idea that their American friend is quickly becoming one of them.

Once we get to the Common Room, Fred pulls out the boxes, making sure the three of us each get one of the specially-marked "good" boxes. Then, we take seats on the couches. George and I end up on the couch, him sitting upright and me laying across it, my head on his lap. Fred takes one of the armchairs, laying on it upside down so his feet dangle over the back and his head hangs off of the seat. We open our boxes and begin eating, enjoying about half of our boxes and talking. We make sure not to touch the second half so that we have something to eat when Lee and the girls arrive, an alibi.

The boys and I are talking, George stroking my hair and Fred making random faces at me, when Lee and the girls walk in, soaked in mud.

"Hey, guys. How'd it go?" I greet them, popping a bean into my mouth.

"Mud. Lots of mud," Katie sighs, looking exhausted.

"Hey, where's your homework?" Angelina asks, looking at Fred.

"Finished it a bit ago. Why do you ask, love?" Fred asks, winking at her and simultaneously popping a bean in his mouth. I stifle a giggle when Angelina blushes.

"Hey! Where'd you get Bertie Bott's? I haven't had those since the train, 'cause we haven't been to Hogsmeade yet. You know they're my favorite!" Lee reminds us excitedly.

"Couple fifth years stocked up and were sellin' 'em for half price a bit ago. We bought the last dozen," I grin, holding up my box and giving it a little shake.

"Care to share? Be happy to pay you," Lee begs. George raises an eyebrow discreetly at me, not having expected to be able to make some money through this.

"How much?" I ask, putting on a poker face. "We have very limited supply."

"Two galleons," Lee offers.

"Me too!" adds Katie.

"Me three!" Angelina joins in.

"Yeah, we can do three galleons. Only two for you, though, sweetheart," Fred winks at Angelina, who blushes again.

"And why's that?" she asks.

"Because I like you best," he answers confidently.

I go to protest, but George hushes me, knowing how well this is going for Fred. After they've paid, Fred hands out the boxes, offering a cozy spot beside him on the narrow armchair to Angelina. Meanwhile, Lee and Katie go sit on a loveseat of their own.

George and I exchange mischievous looks as we watch the three of them open their boxes and each pop a bean into their mouth.

"Bogeys!" shouts Angelina, pouting at Fred, who gives her a sympathetic look.

"Earwax!" shrieks Lee, spitting it out.

"Vomit!" whimpers Katie, looking horrified.

"Bad luck," George shakes his head sympathetically.

Again and again, the twins and I watch as the other three eat the horrible beans, puzzled by the phenomenon. Finally, though, George can't hold it back anymore, and he lets out a tiny laugh. The other three look at us, understanding, and then disgust, coming over them.

"I can't believe you did that!" Angelina shouts angrily at Fred.

"I hate you guys," Lee pouts.

"That was horrible," Katie moans.

"I expect a refund," Lee states, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No way!" George replies. "You bought a box of beans and that's what you got. We delivered." Lee scowls, knowing George is right.

"However, you can have the rest of our good beans," I hold my box up, shaking it. Fred starts to protest, but I shoot him a glare and he cuts it out immediately, handing over the rest of his box.

"Fine, whatever," Lee grumbles as him and the girls take our boxes cautiously.

"Alright, well, I'm heading up to bed," I yawn, stretching and standing from my spot beside George. "Later, losers," I call down the stairs as I head up to change into my pajamas and get some sleep.

* * *

In the middle of the night, I wake, panting and sweating. I haven't had the dream since I got here, but it's back. I quickly pad in stocking feet down the steps to the Common Room and up the stairs to the boys' dorms. I quickly find the twins' dorm, immediately identifying George's bed, and, sneaking past the other boys, gently nudge him awake.

"Mind, Georgie?" I ask, attempting a light laugh.

"Not at all, sweetheart," he yawns, scooting over to make room for me on the bed. His bed in the dorm is far larger than the one in the Burrow, so I have plenty of room to curl up beside him. Within minutes, we fall back asleep, our hands tangled in each other's hair and our bodies pressed up close. It's the best sleep I've had since I got here.


	12. Chapter 12

"Uh, guys?" I wake up to Lee nudging me. Rubbing my eyes, I look around to see that I'm laying snuggled against George, my face buried in his chest. His shirt, a favorite Chudley Cannons tee, smells so good, like the Burrow. That's when I snap out of it. Oh, no. I'm snuggling with George in the boys' dormitory.

No one knows about my night terrors but Fred, so I know what this must look like. Slowly, George begins to wake, rubbing his eyes groggily and looking up at Lee and I. He makes a noise like, "Whaangh." Then he, too, comes to his senses.

"Not what it looks like, Lee," he snaps.

"What is it than, lovebirds?" Lee asks, chuckling.

"Look, Lee, I have night terrors, okay? I just couldn't sleep alone. So, usually, I come to George when I have them. It's not a big deal, but it's not something I want publicized. Think you can keep that to yourself?" I ask quickly, not in the mood for Lee's crap. Lee quickly looks very sorry for teasing me.

"Hey, man. I didn't know it was like that, Rey. Your secret's safe with me. Just know that my bed's open to you any time you need it, Dollface," Lee winks.

"We'll see, Lee," I giggle at the thought.

"I think my bed will be just fine, thanks," George grits his teeth, clearly upset by Lee's proposition.

"Aw, honey. Are you jealous? You know you're the only man for me," I joke, running a hand through his soft red hair.

"Shut up," he scowls at me. "Lee, wanna give us some privacy please?"

Lee retreats from the room, hands raised in surrender. "You don't gotta tell me twice."

"What's up, Georgie?" I ask, honestly concerned now.

"I just… I wanted to tell you that it means a lot to me that you come to me when you have your night terrors. That I'm the one you come to when you're upset and need to be comforted and protected. It makes me feel needed and important, and I like that about our friendship, Rey. You know?" he explains to me, a nervous look on his face, as though he's scared I'll reject him or something. Gently, I smooth his hair.

"Of course, I understand, Georgie. I was only kidding when I was talking to Lee. I would never, and could never, go to anyone else. There's a reason I pick you every time, and it's not 'cause Fred kicks. You are the person I go to when I'm scared or upset, and I love that, too. No way is that gonna change, okay? I promise," I smile at him warmly. He just pulls me into a gentle embrace, a classic George move.

Then, looking at his watch, George comments with a smirk, "You know, we've still got about an hour before we actually have to be getting up. Care for a little more sleep?"

"I'd love that," I grin, giggling softly as George falls back onto his pillow pulling me down with me. The tall ginger chuckles as I bury my face in his chest once again, taking in the scent of his shirt blissfully.

The last thing I hear before I fall asleep, arms wrapped around his waist is, "I have a bunch of these shirts. I'll give you this one when we wake up." That makes for a very content sleep.

* * *

True to his word, when we're woken by a sleepy Fred, the first thing George does is take off his Chudley Cannons tee, leaving himself bare-chested, and hands it to me. I resist the urge to smell it then and there and instead head to my dorm to change.

Once dressed, I head down to the Common Room, tie in hand and collar up. George still has to teach me to tie them, so he's been doing them himself each morning when we meet up. I know full-well that I could easily ask Hermione or any of the girls to teach me how, but I kinda like having George help me, and I know he likes it, too.

In the Common Room, I go to sit down on the sofa, but not before I see that a new notice has been posted and go over to check it out. Flying Lessons start Thursday. Suddenly, I'm super nervous. Slowly, I go sit on the couch, trying not to hurl. Finally, after a few minutes, the boys arrive.

"C'mon, Rey. We're gonna be late for breakfast," Fred grins.

"Tie," I whine, holding it out for George.

"Of course, m'lady," he grins, tying it perfectly as usual. I don't manage a response, just follow them out the door. All I can think about is an image of me falling to my death off a frickin' broomstick. My last encounter with one, when George yelled at me, has left me with a phobia. I came so close to injury, and would have gotten it, if it hadn't been for George. George won't be there to save me next time.

I can hear the boys talking and laughing in front of me, but I'm not listening. I can't. Suddenly, I hear, "Rey? Rey, you in there?" Fred is waving a hand in front of my face.

"Cut it out," George nudged him. "What's wrong, Love?"

"Flying lessons start Thursday," I manage to state simply.

"Oh, I heard. You have it with the Slytherins. Bad luck," Fred shakes his head disapprovingly.

"That doesn't bother me. It's th-the flying part," I whimper.

"Are you afraid of flying?" Fred asks.

"A little. I just… I came so close to getting really hurt last time," I remind them. George purses his lips, remembering.

"What do you say we skip class on Thursday and Freddie and I will take you onto the Quidditch pitch and teach you, huh? Get you comfortable on a broom again?" he asks.

"That sounds great. Thanks, George," I let out a shaky sigh.

"Of course, Sweetheart," he pulls me into a hug before we can head down to the Great Hall for a hurried breakfast.


	13. Chapter 13

Thursday came, at last, and I was excited. A whole day with my boys, uninterrupted, is exciting, whether I have to face a fear of not. Everything's been taken care of. Ronald's going to cover for me in class, and we're even going to escape through the secret passageway the boys showed me on our afternoon off last Friday.

Getting up and getting dressed for breakfast, I wear spandex and an athletic tank top with sneakers beneath my robes, different from my usual school outfit. The three of us have agreed to drop our robes off in the Forbidden Forest on our way to the Quidditch stadium.

Meeting the boys in the Common Room, they look at me odd when they notice I have my MP3 player with me. I don't carry it much outside of my dorm, because I get pestered often if I carry Muggle objects. This is one of the biggest negatives of Hogwarts and the wizarding world in general.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm nervous, and when I'm nervous I need some music," I explain, lifting my left hand to my mouth so I can chew my nails, which are already very short.

"It'll be fine. Just act casual," Fred assures me. I scoff at him before leading the way down to the Great Hall.

When we get there, we take our usual seats at the Gryffindor table and eat the quickest possible breakfast before telling everyone that we're feeling a bit woozy. Then, we head out.

We walk down a few hallways until we come to the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. Making sure no one's around first, we make our way through the passageway behind it.

Once we're outside, we run toward the Forbidden Forest, throwing off our robes as we go. When we come to the edge of the Forest, we find a sizable rock and, while Fred and George lift it, I toss all our robes beneath it. When the rock has been placed back over the robes, I pull out a permanent marker and write FGA on it in pretty cursive, signifying our initials. Then, we sprint towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Accio Cleansweep," both boys shout at the same time, pointing their wands towards the castle.

"Since we don't have access to the school brooms, you can borrow mine," Fred tells me once their brooms have arrived, handing me his. Then, he heads off to the stands, knowing that he's not necessary for this part.

"Now, look, Rey. You gotta pay attention and listen to me exactly. You can't be reckless and go off on your own again, okay? Promise me?" George asks.

"Okay, I promise," I reply, knowing that this interrogation is very reasonable. If I were him, I wouldn't let me within ten feet of a broom again.

"Now, broom on the ground," he instructs, doing the same with his. "And call it up, like this:"

George holds his hand out above the broom and shouts, "Up!" Then, I do the same.

George's broom shoots right up into his hand, and, to my surprise, mine comes on the first try, too. Not as fast as George's, but still.

"Impressive. I think it remembers you," George observes.

"So, they're like wands? They recognize people?" I ask.

"Not exactly, they don't really have the consciousness wands do, but they can recognize people who've rode them before," George explains. "Now, mount it," George demonstrates how to do so. Then, I give it a go. "Not quite."

George sets his broom down and comes up behind me, pressing himself against me so that I'm like a puppet, his hands on my hands and his legs directly behind mine, correcting my grip. I know he's closer than he needs to be, but I don't push him off. I couldn't tell you why. "Okay, you're set," he tells me after a moment. Then, he goes and grabs his own broom, mounting it as well.

"Now, on the count of three, kick off hard. Steady yourself, rise a few feet, and come back down by leaning forward slightly," he starts. "One, two, three."

I kick off hard and wobble for a moment, terrified. George kicks off himself and hovers beside me until he's sure I'm steady. Then, together, we rise a few feet. Again, together, we go back down on his command.

I honestly feel like I've slayed a dragon. I turn around, a grin on my face, when I hear Fred's cheers and applause from the stands. George and I both dismount and I start to giggle. "I did it! I can't believe it!" I cry.

"I can. Knew you could do it, Rey," George grins, lifting me up and spinning me 'round. Sprinting towards us, Fred joins us from the stands.

"That's my girl! How do you feel?" he asks, high-fiving me.

"On top of the world, you guys," I grin.

"Honestly, you're kind of a natural. I had a feeling you would be. Maybe in a couple years you can play with us on the team," Fred chuckles at the idea.

"Maybe, but for now I think I'd be cool with just cheering you guys on from the stands," I smile.

"Whatever you like. The next challenge will be flying around the pitch and back. That sound okay?" George asks.

"I think so," I nod, less afraid now.

"Okay, well, let's trade brooms, so that Freddie can have his. He's gonna go with ya," George tells me. I can't help but be a bit disappointed. I mask it well, though, handing off my broom to Fred and taking George's.

Then, for the rest of the day, we just race, the boys taking turns flying with me. Sometimes, we take breaks and just talk and laugh on the grass. We don't realize how long it's been until Fred checks his watch at three o'clock.

"Yikes," Fred starts. "Better go grab our robes."

"I suppose," I sigh. "I don't want this day to end. It feels like it used to in the summer. I miss that."

"Me, too." Fred kisses the top of my head softly before offering a hand to help me up. George jumps up himself and takes the lead. He actually jogs a bit ahead of us.

"Hey, what do you think of Georgie?" Fred asks, intertwining his hand in mine.

"What do you mean?" I chuckle. "I love Georgie. Same as you. Why?"

"Nothin'. I just thought… It was stupid. Never mind," he rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"No! What is it, Freddie?" I ask, confused.

"I just thought maybe you liked him, that's all," he mumbles.

"George? No! I might as well date Phoenix, my kitten. I love Georgie, but not like that," I smile softly, thinking about what a stupid move that would be. Falling for my best friend.

"You're right. You're just really close," Fred observes.

"So are we, right?" I ask, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Of course, Love. Don't ask stupid questions," he grins, swinging the hands we have joined together, so that I'm forced to swing my arm, too.

"Love ya, Freddie. You're one of my best friends, you know," I smile at this boy whom I truly do love.

"Same to you, Rey."

* * *

After the robes have been retrieved, I don't have long before Flying Lessons will start. "We're gonna be watching from behind those trees, okay?" George points out a group of trees beyond the Quidditch pitch. "We'll be with you the whole time."

"Thanks, guys," I hug each twin in turn. "Now, go. You don't want Hooch catching you out here."

"Where are you gonna go?" Fred asks.

"Common Room. I can't be dawdling out here, either," I explain.

"See you in a bit," George grins, hugging me.

"Good luck. Not that you need it," Fred grins, giving me two thumbs up.

"Thanks a ton for today. See ya."

* * *

I arrive at the Quidditch pitch at the same time as everyone else, and I grin when I see a blur of fiery red hair behind the trees. Brooms are lined up waiting for us. Not nice ones, but still.

Hooch has us do pretty much the same things the twins taught me, so I'm one of the best in the class right away. Even Hooch is impressed. That is, until Neville, a clumsy boy in my House, breaks his wrist and must be taken to the hospital wing. Bored, Hermione and I start chatting. Coincidentally, we share the same favorite book, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We also have similar tastes in Muggle music sometimes, and we quickly bond over other aspects of Muggle life.

"I know I'm not around the dorm a lot, so we haven't really gotten the chance to talk much, but I really hope we can hang out and talk sometime. You're really cool," I grin at her.

"Yeah, you-," she's interrupted by Draco Malfoy's sudden takeoff. Then, Harry Potter follows.

"What are they doing?!" Hermione hisses.

I just watch in awe as Harry performs a masterful dive. It's as though he's been playing for an eternity.

It's in that moment that he's caught by McGonagall. I feel awful for him. Soon after that, we're all dismissed. I head up to the Common Room with Hermione, both of us discussing the impossibility that is the expelling of Harry Potter from Hogwarts.

* * *

A half hour after Hermione and I have arrived in the Common Room, chatting and lounging on the sofas, the twins come in, chattering excitedly amongst themselves. "What's going on?" I ask, puzzled as to what could be so exciting.

"Could we talk to you alone for a mo', Audrey?" Fred asks, a huge grin on his face.

"That's a bit rude, don't you think?" I ask, gesturing at Hermione.

"The Lovely Hermione will find out soon enough," Fred bows with great jest.

"However, we're under strict orders not to tell anyone, so just telling you is breaking quite enough rules," George adds.

"You two? Afraid of breaking rules? Hilarious!" I giggle.

"Can ya blame us? Wood's a scary fella!" George feigns terrified.

"So, it's about Quidditch, than, if your orders are from Wood," Hermione smirks.

"Yes, yes. Fine. Gold star for you. Now, Audrey, do you want to know or not?" Fred whines, impatient.

"Fine, whatever. Hermione, I'll be back in just a second. I am so sorry, Love," I smile apologetically at her.

"Don't worry about me. Go with your boys," she grins at me. I just laugh at her calling them that.

The boys pull me out of the Common Room and into the hallway. Then, walking down the hall a ways, they find an empty classroom and pull me in.

"Yes, fine, now, what is it? I have other friends you know," I scowl at them.

"Says the girl who threw a fit on the train because we have other friends," Fred retorts. I just stick my tongue out at him, which he mirrors.

"Enough," George sighs. "Now, you know the Harry Potter incident during your Flying Lessons?"

"Yeah, so? He's getting expelled," I shrug my shoulders, unsure what it has to do with anything.

"No, he's not. Apparently, he was really good, so they put him on the House team," Fred shakes his head in disbelief.

"No, way," I gasp.

"We thought the same thing. He's the youngest player in a century," George confides.

"Wow, so, kind of a big deal," I chuckle.

"You could say that," Fred laughs, too.

"Thanks for telling me, guys," I grin.

"Yeah, just, don't tell anyone. We're not supposed to," George reminds me.

"I can do that. I better get back to Hermione now," I tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear.

"Cool. We're gonna go find Lee. Catch you in the Common Room before supper?" Fred asks.

"Yeah, sounds good. Tell him I said 'hey'," I request.

"Can do. Later, Rey."

* * *

Before dinner, as promised, the boys and I meet up in the Common Room before heading downstairs. Beforehand, I've made sure to invite Hermione and her friends to sit by the twins and I, as well as our friends. Laughing, we tell each other about our day, me telling of a relaxing afternoon spent curled in front of a fire with a girl friend and the twins telling of an adventurous one spent running through the grounds with Lee Jordan and the girls. "Lee even claims he found a new passageway out of school, and he's gonna show us it after supper," Fred chuckles.

"How much you wanna bet it's the same one we took out of school today?" I snort, knowing Lee well enough to assume that. The boys just laugh.

When we get to supper, the boys leaving me for a bit to go talk to Harry, I sit and eat an unusually large amount, practically shoveling the food down. The boys and I had to skip lunch today due to our ditching class.

The supper conversation is good, as usual, and I love having Hermione nearby. I hadn't expected to like her so much, but I really do. She's nice and reminds me of home.

* * *

Standing in front of the statue of Gregory the Smarmy, the boys and I just chuckle. "What?" asks Lee, unsure why we're laughing.

"Lee, we've known about this since our first week here. Maybe next time, though," Fred grins.

"C'mon, Rey. Let's go take a walk," George sighs, grabbing my hand. Fred grabs the other hand, following along with his brother.

After we're a ways out onto the grounds, I feel it's safe to start talking. "What's up, guys?"

"You know how we have Friday afternoons off?" George asks.

"Yeah?" I nod, unsure where this is going.

"Well, Georgie and I kind of have big plans for tomorrow. You in?" Fred asks, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Depends on the plans," I cross my arms over my chest, cocking my hip.

"Well, Fred and I have been very curious about the third floor corridor," George starts.

"And we were thinking the three of us should go have a look," Fred finishes.

"Isn't that kinda dangerous?" I ask, hip still cocked.

"When has that ever stopped you before?" George asks, eyebrow raised.

"You're right, I'm in," I sigh, knowing he's got me there. Besides, it's been awhile since I've been part of a scheme, and I've kinda missed it.

So, with that, the boys and I head back up to the dorms, excitedly chattering about our plans for the next day.

* * *

Before falling into bed, I start to change into my pajamas, pulling on my little pink boxer shorts and my Eminem tank top. Then, thinking better of it, I pull off the Eminem tank top, instead grabbing the balled-up Chudley Cannons tee laying on my bed. Pulling it over my head, I go to look in the mirror, seeing that it's about three sizes too big and hangs off me baggily, completely covering my tiny shorts. Curling up in my bed, I inhale deeply the shirt's scent, George's scent, and relax. Quickly, I fall asleep. The night terrors don't come tonight.


	14. Chapter 14

I barely trudge through the first part of the school day, waiting anxiously for the afternoon to come. When it finally does arrive, the twins and I meet up in the Common Room and redress in all black. The boys wear matching black sweaters and black sweat pants, while I wear black skinny jeans and a black tank top.

Then, sneaking to the third floor, we exchange nervous looks. I can't stand this anxiety anymore, so, I take the first leap, opening the door to the corridor on the right-hand side with a simple unlocking charm. Walking inside, I turn around and whisper to the boys, "Hurry, you wankers."

I have a huge grin on my face, proud of my adventurous streak. However, my smile vanishes when I see the boys' wide eyes. "R-Rey, come here now. Slow," Fred whispers, a terrified stutter. I feel my own eyes go wide as I turn and find myself facing a giant beast of a creature. I can't help it. I run, the boys behind me. However, I don't see the changing staircase as I run, and I slip. I fall for what seems like an eternity, and then I feel the world go dark.

George's POV

I see her falling before she hits the ground. I know I won't get there fast enough, and, in that moment, I feel my stomach drop. I run to her where she lays and fall to my knees.

"R-Rey?" I hear Fred shout from a distance. At least, it feels like he's a distance away.

I place my hands on her neck, feeling for a pulse. I don't find one. Press my ear to her chest, and I feel a heartbeat, giving me hope. When I flip her onto her other side, though, I feel myself break, watching as blood gushes out her ear. "Rey, sweetheart, it's gonna be okay. I'm gonna make it okay. I promise you," I feel myself speak, but I can't hear it.

Picking her up, bridal style, in my arms and cradling her, I run as fast as I can down the stairs to find Madam Pomfrey. I've lost track of Fred. I think he's behind me.

Reaching the hospital wing, I call for her. Finally, she appears from behind a white curtain. "What happened?" she gasps.

I know we can't tell her what happened. Not really. They'll know what we've done. "Playing by Great Lake. Slipped. Fell. Hit head," I mumble some excuse.

"Get out," she orders me.

"No! Please let me stay! Please!" I feel myself cry out.

"Fine. Just keep quiet and go sit in that chair over there," she scowls at me. I go. "She's in a bad way. If we only had Muggle medicines, this concussion would kill her. Luckily, though, I can fix this," she mutters in my direction.

"Please," I moan. It's just then that Fred comes skittering into the room. Excusing myself, I step outside with him. "Where have you been?" I hiss.

"Cleaning up the, literally, bloody mess. I know you lied about where she got hurt. Imagine if they found the scene of the crime. You're welcome," he growls. Clearly, her injury isn't only affecting me.

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried about her," I apologize sincerely to my brother.

"I know. Don't worry about it. Let's go in. I want to see her," Fred sighs, opening the door. Pomfrey finishes up her exam as we walk in.

"I'm sorry to say that, while I feel like I've fixed her up as best as I can, this next bit will be critical. She'll probably be in a comatose state for the next few weeks. Then, she'll wake up… hopefully," she explains. It hurts me to hear the emphasis she puts on the word "hopefully".

"Thanks," Fred and I mumble, moving to take a seat beside her bed.

"I'll leave you boys alone with her, than," Pomfrey sighs.

Fred and I sit in silence for the next several hours. Eventually, though, Fred whispers, "I'm gonna go grab a bite. Can I get you anything, Georgie?"

I shake my head, but, then, I recall, "Can you grab me my Chudley Cannons sweater? The one that's way too small, that I've had since we were like 10?"

"Sure," he nods, getting up and putting his chair back before leaving.

When he's gone, I scoot my chair closer to her, grabbing her hand.

"You're gonna be alright, okay? You have to be. You're my best friend in the world besides Fred. I mean, Fred, at least, has Angelina he can go to when he needs to talk. Me? All I have is Fred, and sometimes you just can't talk to your twin about stuff. I need you, Rey. I need you back with me. I need you back in my bed when you're scared, or asking me to give you a hug when you're upset. I need to be able to protect you, to be able to fix all your problems, but this one I just can't fix. So, you better bloody well fight for me and for Fred and for your dad. You understand me, Love?" I ask, feeling my chest heave. However, her chest is still as ever. I push back a lock of hair from her forehead, trying to distract myself from the flow of tears down my cheek.

"I love you."

I'm sure that's all I can stand to say without sobbing. So, I go silent once again, giving her hand a squeeze every few minutes. I wait for what seems like forever until Fred gets back with my sweatshirt, handing it to me. Then, sweatshirt in hand, I go and find Madam Pomfrey. She helps me move Rey so that I can pull the sweatshirt down over her head. I know she'd love it if she was conscious.

A bit after I've put the sweatshirt on her, Pomfrey kicks Fred and I out of the hospital wing, and it feels as though I'm leaving a piece of my heart behind.

 **I'm so sorry I didn't get a chapter out yesterday. I literally had no access to internet whatsoever. I fully intend to be back on schedule :)**


	15. Chapter 15

Hey, Rey. It's the day after Halloween. I know I promised I'd visit yesterday, but I wasn't allowed. You'll never believe what happened. A troll made it into the dungeons! I know. Crazy, right? We all had to eat supper in the common room. It was nice, but I missed you. Wake up soon, okay?

* * *

We had Quidditch today. Harry's first game. We won. It was so crazy. Harry actually swallowed the Snitch. You'd have laughed. I can almost picture it. For a second, while I was up in the sky, I could forget about you. Then, a thought popped into my head. "I wonder if Rey's down there cheering?" I actually started scanning the crowd for you, but then I remembered. See you in a bit, you understand?

* * *

Fred keeps trying to cheer me up, take my mind off you. Today he dragged me outside to help him bewitch snowballs to bounce off the back of Quirrell's turban. I was having fun until I started thinking about how much you'd have enjoyed it. It hurts to think about you. Speaking of Fred, I know he's not been down to visit. It's not because he doesn't care. You know he does. It's just that he has different ways of coping, and his way is to avoid the problem. He tries to cheer me up sometimes, but he mostly just spends his time with Angelina. It makes him feel better, so I don't say anything. I just need to talk to you - you're my best friend in the world outside of Freddie, remember?I just miss you, and I miss him, so come back, okay? Okay.

* * *

Hey, Rey. It's Christmas. I know, I know. "Why are we here?" Well, Mum and Dad went to go visit Charlie, so we're staying here. Fine by me. I would've been worried out of my mind about you if I'd gone back home. Mum sent you a letter and a gift. It's a bit embarrassing, actually. She sent a Weasley sweater. Mind if I put it on you?... There you go. Perfect. It's blue, just like mine and Fred's, with a matching yellow A. I took off my Chudley Cannons sweater. You're probably getting tired of it, anyway. Can I read her letter out loud?

"Audrey, dear, Arthur and I are so worried about you. I hope you know that we love you like our own daughter. We tried to come visit, but, as you know, we're not allowed. We're worried sick, sweetheart. Please wake up soon, and make sure to come visit us straight away.

Love,

Molly xoxo"

She really does miss you. If you won't wake up for me, wake up for her. As I'm sure you know, it's been longer than Madam Pomfrey thought it would take. She's starting to lose faith in you. I hope you know that I never will. I love you. Merry Christmas.

* * *

We pretty much won the House Championship. I don't see how we can lose. Shortest game I've ever played. Harry found the Snitch almost right away. Still wish you could've been there, though, to celebrate with Fred and I. Fred convinced me to help him steal some stuff from the kitchens for the celebration. I'm sure all of Gryffindor's up there now. I had to get away from all the noise, though. Thought there was nothing I could do that would be better than seeing you again. However, the others will worry. Better go. Love you.

* * *

Ron's in here with you. Apparently Fang bit him. Don't know if I believe it. I trust he'll keep you company. I know, I know. He's not as cool and handsome as me. You'll have to make do, though. Exams are coming up, and I've been trying to focus on my schoolwork. It's hard, though. My mind keeps wandering up to the hospital wing. Missin' you more every day, Audrey.

* * *

Harry, Hermione, and Neville lost us 150 House points. Lost us the lead we got in the House championship. Everyone's angry with them, but it's hard for me to be bitter. It's hard for me to feel anything. I miss you, and I miss Fred. God, I feel like I have no one now. Sorry for the negativity, Rey. Come back soon.

* * *

The exams are over, and it's a beautiful day outside. I enjoyed it for a while, but then I decided I wanted to spend a beautiful day with my beautiful friend. I think I'll just rest here a moment. Exams have really worn me out. Love you, Rey.

 **Thank you for over 1,000 views! I'm so excited about where this story goes from here, and I hope you are as well! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

I wake to blurry surroundings and a tight grip around my hand. My hand? Yes. I can, in fact, feel my hand. Looking at said hand, I see my favorite snoozing red-head.

"Mind giving me my hand back, Georgie?" I chuckle, nudging the boy awake. Opening his bleary eyes, wincing at the sharp hospital wing lighting, his eyes open much wider upon seeing me.

"R-Rey?" he asks shakily with a sharp intake of breath. I notice the bags under his beautiful eyes and the way he's let his hair grow shaggy.

"Jesus, George. You look like you've seen a ghost. How long have I been out?" I ask, my voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Too long. I should go get Fred-," he starts, his eyes still wide from disbelief.

"No!" I cry, my voice cracking. His eyes soften. "I mean… Please stay. I haven't seen you in so long."

"Of course," he nods, smiling softly when I scoot over to make room for him on the hospital bed. Curling up next to him, I breathe him in.

"You don't know how much I've missed this, Rey," he sighs, wrapping his arms tight around me.

"I'm so sorry, Georgie," I whimper.

"Don't be sorry, Rey. Just go to sleep and let me enjoy having my friend back," I feel the vibration of his words against my cheek, which is pressed up against his chest.

I let the comfortable silence envelop us for a few minutes. However, I can't stop myself from asking the question that's nagging at me.

"Did you really miss me that much?" it comes out as a needy, clingy whisper, but I have to know.

"Oh, Rey. Every hair on my head, every fiber of my being, has missed you. You have no idea. You're such an important part of my life now that you being gone changed every single aspect. Everything was miserable while you were away. I'm just glad you're back. That I can hold you again. Aside from Fred, you're my best friend in the world, Rey. I love you," he murmurs all of it into my ear, as though he's worried he'll never get another chance. I just snuggle closer to him, burying myself deeper in him. Never wanting to let go. Within moments, we are both fast asleep.

"Make way! Make way!"

"Wha- time is it?" I feel George's hot breath against my ear. Looking up from George's shirt and rubbing my bleary eyes, I see a boy being carried in on a stretcher. Could it be? Yes. It's Harry Potter.

Nudging George awake, I point to Harry, unconscious in bed. "What happened to him?" he asks. I just shrug. Pomfrey takes a while to examine Harry, and then, all at once, she notices George and I.

"Oh my! You're awake, than, Audrey, dear?" she gasps. I nod sleepily. "Well, get some rest. And you, Weasley, out."

"Oh, no. Please let him stay. I'll never fall asleep otherwise," I plead with her. Upon taking us in, me clinging to George's shirt, her eyes soften.

"Oh, alright. If anyone asks, though, I was unaware he was here," she informs us, continuing to busy herself with caring for Harry.


	17. Chapter 17

The next three days pass happily. Waking up, George and I decide to prank Fred by acting as though nothing happened, letting the rest of Gryffindor in on it first. They were all more than willing to see Fred be the one getting pranked for once.

When we let on that it's a joke, I swear it's the first time I've ever seen Fred really break down and sob. He hugs me tightly for what feels like ages. Both boys cling to me as though each second we have together is the last. Fred quickly fills me in on all that I've missed, and I'm honestly very disappointed that I've missed most of my first year at Hogwarts.

"So, a feast tonight, huh?" I make conversation, swinging my arms as the three of us walk along the shore of the Great Lake.

"Yep, we're gonna par-tay," Fred grins.

"Sounds good to me," I grin back.

* * *

While Madam Pomfrey did let me out the morning after I woke up, saying she'd "had quite enough of me for one year", she has been fussing an awful lot, and, before I can go to the feast, she's making me come in for a final checkup. Completing it quickly, I thank her for her care, and then I head out with the twins. Although I know we've lost the House Cup, I can't help but be overjoyed as we walk into the Great Hall. How could I not be?

That's why, when Dumbledore dishes out some final Gryffindor points, I'm sure things will never get any better than this. Both boys turn to each other and to me, screaming and whooping in celebration. I'm with my friends and my peers and everything's turned out okay.

Considering the circumstances carefully, Dumbledore decided to let me pass without taking my exams, particularly because my grades had been superb all year, and all of my teachers, up to and including Snape, have put in a word to Dumbledore, pleading with him to let me move on, explaining that I'm a wonderful student.

All of a sudden, I'm packed, and so are Fred and George. I don't know where the time's gone. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I was unconscious for half the school year. The twins and I are in my dorm, the twins lounging on my bed as I finish my packing. Lastly, I pick Phoenix up, full-grown by now, and tuck her into her cage.

"You're welcome, by the way," George smirks, sitting up suddenly in bed.

"For what?" I scowl.

"For feeding Nix while you were out. She eats a lot, you know," he shakes his head in disbelief.

"Whatever. Thank you," I press my lips together disapprovingly, not liking the way he's using the stuff he did for me against me. Making me feel bad.

"Alright, are you all set?" Fred asks, jumping up from bed and clapping his hands together impatiently.

"Yeah," I sigh. "I miss my dad, but I still wish I didn't have to go home."

"I know, Honey. We'll be back faster than you think, though. I promise," George assures me, standing to embrace me.

"Thanks, George," I sigh, hugging him back.

"Now, let's go downstairs, shall we? It's almost time we head off," he reminds me with a small smile, releasing me to grab my hand and pull me towards the door.

"Hold up! I gotta grab my stuff!" I cry, giggling. Fred grabs my trunk in one hand and Phoenix's cage in the other, following quickly after George and I.

Too soon, we're boarding the Hogwarts Express. Just as on the way to school, the twins and I ride in a compartment with Lee, Angelina, and Katie. The boys, with great pride, show off the toilet seat they're bringing home for their sister, and they use their leftover firecrackers from the school year to scare other students. Laughing and talking, we all try to ignore the fact that, in just a short while, we'll have to part ways.

Finally, arriving at the train station, the boys and I carry our things out and make our way through the bombardment of people. On the platform 9 waits Molly, Arthur, and Ginny. Immediately, Molly pulls me into a bear hug while Arthur embraces the twins. "Oh, Audrey, I can't believe you're alright. Arthur and I were worried sick," she fusses.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. For the sweater. It's my favorite. And also… For caring. This year has been the first where anyone but my father's cared about me like that," I smile softly.

"Of course, dear," her eyes soften when she hears my words.

"Now, I'm sure Rey is very excited to see her father, who she hasn't seen in a year. Come on, Rey," Fred beckons for me to follow him through the wall to King's Cross, George following closely behind.

There, waiting for me, is Robert Tyler, my beloved father. "Dad!" I cry, bear hugging him when I see him.

"Audrey, punkin', I missed you so much," he grins, wrapping his arms around me. "And you must be the twins," he continues to smile, extending a hand for them to shake.

"Yeah, you have an awesome daughter," Fred shakes his hand eagerly.

"Yeah, we love her," George agrees with a grin.

"I'm gonna head back to my parents, Rey, but I'll write to you, okay?" Fred asks.

"Absolutely. Love you, Freddie," I break away from my father to embrace Fred, who plants a kiss on top of my head.

"Love you too, Sweetheart," he smiles softly before breaking away and going to find his parents.

"Dad, do you mind if I have a word with George alone?" I ask.

"Sure, I'll pull the car up," he smiles, walking away.

"What's up, Rey?" he asks, looking concerned.

"I'm just scared. You've been getting me through my night terrors. If they come back, I'm going to have to suffer through them alone, the way I used to," I confess.

"Rey, I'm going to write to you all the time, and if I get one letter from you, just one, saying you need me, I will be there in a heartbeat. Believe me, there's nothing I wouldn't do for you," he assures me, pulling me in for a hug. At that point, I see Dad's car pulling up in front of the station.

"I gotta go," I smile up at him sadly.

"See you real soon, Love," he plants a kiss on top of my head, and, with that, I take off.

* * *

Hopping in the car, I take in the familiar scent. "You're not dating either of those boys are you?" Dad asks, his voice stern.

"No, of course not," I giggle. "They're my best friends."

"Good," he sighs. "Anyways, I've got some good news," he grins.

"What's that?" I ask, giddy with excitement from getting to see my dad again.

"Uncle Raymond's back and staying with us," I can hardly believe what I'm hearing.

"U-Uncle Raymond?" I stutter, making sure I heard him correctly.

"Yes, of course. You know how much I love him, and he's very excited to see you. You know…," his voice fades as I tune him out.

I turn and look out the window, my mouth agape, as my thoughts become clouded with the stuff of nightmares and I consider how quickly this day went from any other to one of the worst in my entire life.

 **This is the last chapter of the first installment of the Triplets series! It's gone by quickly, but there's a lot more in store. Don't worry, you won't have to wait long - I plan on publishing the second book of the series tomorrow, right on schedule. Your readership and kind words are so, so appreciated and I can't wait to continue on Audrey and the twins' journey with you! I hope all of you read and enjoy the second installment, _Healing_! **


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